Olympia Dukakis gave one of the most beloved performances of her storied life as spunky Clairee Belcher in the 1989 classic Steel Magnolias.
The Academy Award winner was fondly remembered after her recent death by her Steel Magnolias costars Sally Field and Dolly Parton. “I was so sorry to hear that Olympia Dukakis had passed away,” Parton, 75, told Today. “She has been one of my favorite people that I have ever known or worked with.”
Parton added, “I really got very close to her and felt like we were good friends. Even though I didn’t get to see her much, I thought of her often and knew that she was such a quality human being. She will be missed by her fans, her family, and those of us that were lucky enough to get to know her personally.”
Field, 74, paid tribute on Twitter, writing, “What can I say but I loved her? Everyone loved her. She was a gift… unique and talented and one of a kind. Rest in peace, my friend Olympia.”
Based on Robert Harling’s 1987 play of the same name, the beloved film follows the bond between a group of small-town southern women as they face the death of one of their own. The movie also starred Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Tom Skerritt and Dylan McDermott.
On Saturday, Dukakis was memorialized by another famous costar. Cher shared a loving message on Twitter after playing the late actress’s daughter in the 1987 movie Moonstruck.
“Olympia Dukakis Was an Amazing Academy Award Winning Actress,” the 74-year-old wrote. “Olympia Played My Mom In Moonstruck,& Even Though Her Part was That Of a Suffering Wife, We 😂 ALL The Time. She Would Tell Me How MUCH She Loved Louis, Her Handsome Talented, Husband. I Talked To Her 3Wks Ago. Rip Dear One.”
Dukakis won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck. “I’m so worldly and sophisticated,” she told PEOPLE ahead of the Oscars in 1988. “When I heard I’d been nominated, I jumped up and down 50 times, like a child.”
The actress gave a number of other memorable performances over the years, including such titles as Look Who’s Talking, Tales of the City and In the Land of Women.
Dukakis died Saturday morning at age 89. Her brother Apollo announced her death in a statement on Facebook. “My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City,” he wrote. “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her Louis.”
