Nurse Louise Fletcher from the movie 'Ppeokkugi Dungji Wiro Naragan Sae' Passes Away

1976 Academy Award for Best Actress Winner... Passed Away at 88
'Star Trek' Kai Winn Adami Role Also

The lead actress Louise Fletcher of the movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" passed away on the 23rd (local time). The photo shows her receiving the Best Actress award at the Academy Awards on March 30, 1976. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Actress Louise Fletcher, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, passed away on the 23rd (local time) at her home in Mondragon, France. She was 88 years old.

According to foreign media including the AP News, Fletcher died in her sleep surrounded by family. The cause of death was natural due to old age, and Fletcher had previously battled breast cancer twice.

Fletcher was also known as a late-blooming actress.

Born in 1934, she debuted in 1958 with the drama Playhouse 90, mainly playing minor roles before pausing her acting career for about ten years to focus on marriage, giving birth to two sons, and raising them.

The turning point in her acting career was the 1976 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, in which she starred alongside Jack Nicholson. She played the villainous nurse Mildred Ratched, who wielded absolute power over the submissive mental hospital patients. The character Mildred was ranked 5th among the "Greatest Villains in History" by the American Film Institute.

Ultimately, Fletcher won the Oscar for her role as Mildred and left a famous acceptance speech.

"Well, I think you all gave me this award because you really hated me. I love this award. And all I can say is that I loved being hated by you."

Additionally, Fletcher moved many by signing a thank you message in sign language to her hearing-impaired parents.

Afterwards, she continued her active career appearing in films such as Death in Casablanca, Exorcist II, Brainstorm, and A Perfect Man, and also played the role of Kai Winn Adami, a Bajoran religious leader, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.