Louise Fletcher, who played iconic villain Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in Oscar-winning performance, dies aged 88

Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The actress’ portrayal of Nurse Ratched is the stuff of cinematic legend (Image: Getty Pictures)

Louise Fletcher, best-known for starring because the villainous Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, has died on the age of 88.

The actress, who received an Oscar for her efficiency because the chillingly corrupt nurse, died on Friday September 23 at her dwelling in Montdurausse, France from pure causes, her son Andrew Bick advised The Hollywood Reporter.

Born in July 1934 in Birmingham, Alabama because the second of 4 kids to Deaf mother and father, her father, a reverend, based greater than 40 church buildings within the US state for people who find themselves Deaf.

Fletcher survived breast most cancers twice in her life.

Having begun her appearing profession within the late Nineteen Fifties, showing in TV collection together with Lawman and Maverick, the actress went on to star within the 1974 crime movie Thieves Like Us, which helped bag her the position of Ratched within the 1975 adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

The movie, primarily based on the 1962 novel of the identical title by Ken Kesey, stars Jack Nicholson as psychological establishment affected person Randle McMurphy.

The sufferers on the establishment workforce up in opposition to the tyrannical Nurse Mildred Ratched, exerting her energy over them by means together with her personal model of psychotherapy and antipsychotic medicine.

Louise Fletcher
The actress celebrating her Oscar in 1976 (Image: Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Pictures)

Nurse Ratched is extensively considered one of many biggest fictional villains of all time, having been performed by Joan Tetzel on stage and by Sarah Paulson within the 2020 TV collection concerning the character.

When Fletcher accepted her Oscar for the position, she famously used signal language to thank her mother and father in her speech, choking up as she expressed how a lot they meant to her.

She additionally joked with the viewers that ‘it appears to be like such as you all hated me a lot that you just’ve given me this award for it’, earlier than including: ‘I’ve cherished being hated by you.’

Following One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Fletched went on to play Dr Gene Tuskin within the sequel to The Exorcist, in addition to starring in movies together with The Woman in Crimson, Invaders From Mars, Blue Metal and Merciless Intentions, because the aunt to Ryan Phillippe’s character Sebastian.

She additionally appeared in TV exhibits comparable to Star Trek: Deep Area 9, Shameless and Heroes, receiving Emmy nominations for her for her visitor roles in Picket Fences and Joan of Arcadia.

Louise Fletcher
Fletcher took over a decade away from appearing to lift her kids (Image: CBS by way of Getty Pictures)

Fletcher married literary agent and producer Jerry Bick in 1960, with whom she shared two sons – John Dashiell Bick and Andrew Wilson Bick.

The couple divorced in 1977.

Coda star Marlee Matlin paid tribute to Fletcher following her loss of life, recalling the impression her signing Oscar speech had on her.

Louise Fletcher and Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Fletcher paid homage to her co-star Nicholson in her Academy Award speech (Image: Moviestore/Shutterstock)

‘Unhappy to learn of the passing of Louise Fletcher. Sensible actress & Academy Award winner, I bear in mind her because the daughter of Deaf mother and father (CODA) who was the FIRST to signal her acceptance speech on the Oscars. And he or she was so beautiful as my mom on “Picket Fences.” RIP expensive Louise,’ she tweeted.

‘It was an honor and a pleasure to put in writing for Louise Fletcher, one of many absolute greats. A blazing expertise and a compete class act. Might she relaxation with the Prophets,’ wrote TV producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe, who wrote for Star Trek: Deep Area 9.

Fletcher is survived by her sons and her sister Roberta.

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