Louise Fletcher Dies: ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ Oscar Winner Was 88

Louise Fletcher, the Oscar-winning actress who became iconic for her turn as the villainous Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” has died at age 88. Deadline first reported the news of her death, which was shared with the outlet by her family. She died peacefully in her sleep at her farmhouse home in Montdurausse, France, surrounded by those she loved.

Fletcher became one of the great icons of cinematic villainy as Ratched, who menaced the patients at an institution for the mentally in the 1975 film. After a career in TV, Fletcher’s performance as the wicked nurse, who battles with Jack Nicholson’s R.P. McMurphy, was just her fourth in a film. “Cuckoo’s Nest,” directed by Milos Forman from the Ken Kesey novel, ended up winning the five “major” Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director, Actor (Nicholson), Actress (Fletcher), and Screenplay. With her cold stare and at first sweetly condescending demeanor, she tangled with McMurphy until ultimately ordering for him a tragic fate.

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