Richard Gere remembers his An Officer and a Gentleman co-star, the late Louis Gossett Jr., as an actor who possessed “a heart of gold.” Gere portrayed the romantic drama’s lead protagonist, Zack Mayo, while Gossett Jr.’s hard-to-love drill sergeant, Emil Foley, was tasked with whipping the young Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) newcomer into shape. Gere said in a statement (per Deadline):