What did Louise Fletcher win an Oscar for? Iconic Nurse Ratched role explored as actress dies aged 88

Actress Louise Fletcher recently passed away at her residence in Montdurausse, France, on September 23 at the age of 88.

Agent David Shaul revealed the news of Fletcher's demise to Deadline on behalf of her family. However, the cause of death was not revealed, although David stated that she died at the home she built from a 300-year-old farmhouse and was surrounded by her family.

Fletcher spoke about her house to her family members the same day, saying that she could not believe that she had created something so meaningful for her well-being.

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Louise Fletcher won an Oscar for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Louise Fletcher portrayed the role of Nurse Ratched, also known as Mildred Ratched, in the 1975 film adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Her performance made her a recipient of an Academy Award for Best Actress, along with a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Nurse Ratched is Salem State Hospital's head administrative nurse. Salem State Hospital is a mental institution where she uses her power over patients' access to medications, privileges, and basic requirements like food and toilet facilities. She takes away these privileges when anyone displeases her.

Her superiors ignore her because she maintains order and keeps patients from acting out through antipsychotic and anticonvulsant drugs and her psychotherapy brand, which includes humiliating patients into doing her bidding. The character is popular as one of the greatest female villains in movie history.

Directed by Milos Forman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was the recipient of five Academy Awards and received positive reviews from critics.

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In brief, about Louise Fletcher

Louis Fletcher played important roles in several movies (Image via Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Born on July 22, 1934, Louise Fletcher's parents were deaf, and her father was the founder of more than 40 churches in Alabama for the deaf. She had three siblings, Roberta, John, and Georgianna, and she learned to speak from her aunt.

Louise made her debut with television shows like Lawman, Maverick, Untouchables, and more. She became successful after being cast in Westerns because of her height. Speaking about the same, she said that since her height was 5 feet 10 inches, no television producer thought a tall woman could be s**ually attractive to anyone. She added,

"I was able to get jobs on westerns because the actors were even taller than I was."

Louise Fletcher made a guest appearance twice on the CBS legal drama Perry Mason. She played the role of Roberta McConnell in an episode of the Western television series Tate in 1960. She also appeared in the 1974 crime film Thieves Like Us, which was co-produced by her husband, Jerry Bick.

She then gained recognition for her performance in the 1975 psychological comedy-drama film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. She continued to appear in several films, among which a few worked at the box office and others failed. The list includes The Cheap Detective, Brainstorm, Invaders from Mars, Blue Steel, Cruel Intentions, Exorcist II: The Heretic, and more.

She portrayed Bajoran's religious leader Kai Winn Adami in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, followed by guest appearances in Picket Fences and Joan of Arcadia.

Louise Fletcher has two sons, John Dashiell Bick and Andrew Wilson Bick. She was married to literary agent and producer Jerry Bick from 1960 to 1977.