Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis dies aged 89

Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis has died aged 89 after months of failing health. 

Dukakis, who starred in Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias, died at her home in New York City on Saturday morning. 

Her cause of death has not been revealed. 

‘My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City. After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her Louis,’ her brother Apollo said in a statement.

Her husband of 56 years, Louis Zorich, died in 2018. 

She is survived by her three children: Christina, Peter and Stefan.  

Throughout her decorated career, Dukakis acted in more than 130 theater productions, 60 films and 50 TV series.  

Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis has died aged 89 after months of failing health. She died on Saturday morning at her New York City home

Dukakis, who is pictured above with Cher in 1989, acted in more than 130 theater productions, 60 films and 50 TV series throughout her career

Dukakis won an Oscar for her role as Rose in the 1987 film Mooonstruck where she starred as Cher’s mother. 

She was a Golden Globe nominee for the 1992 miniseries biopic Sinatra and also received Emmy Award nominations for Lucky Day, More Tales and the City and Joan of Arc. 

Dukakis was also a decorated state actress having performed in more than 100 Broadway and off-Broadway productions. 

She was given a Hollywood Walk of Fame star back in 2013. 

Her cousin is former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who went up against George H.W. Bush as a the Democrat candidate in the 1988 presidential election.

She gave a shout out to Michael in her Oscars acceptance speech by screaming out: ‘Ok Michael, let’s go!’ 

Dukakis is pictured above with Dolly Parton in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias

She is pictured second from left in the 1993 miniseries Tales of the City with Chloe Webb, Laura Linney and Paul Gross

Dukakis starred alongside John Travolta, Kirstie Alley and George Segal in Look Who’s Talking

She was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on June 20, 1931.

Her had parents immigrated to the United States from southern Greece.

She and her brother Apollo grew up in New England as first-generation Greek-Americans.

Dukakis attended Boston University where she graduated from with a degree in physical therapy and a master’s in performing arts. 

‘I did not become an actor in order to become famous or rich. I became an actor so I could play the great parts,’ she once said. 

She moved to New York City in 1959 before making her Broadway debut in 1962 in The Aspern Papers.

She married her husband Louis, who was an actor and producer, that same year.