Louise Fletcher’s first language was not spoken English, but American Sign Language. She and her siblings were the hearing children of deaf parents. She didn’t learn to speak until she was 3, she was taught by her aunt. When she won the academy award for playing Nurse Ratchet, she signed part of her speech to thank her parents

That roughly every DS9 fan detested the character of Kai Winn is a testament to Louise Fletcher's talents and work. I never realized she was in so few episodes, because her impact was so significant, and her scenes were largely so memorable.

She made Avery Brooks/Sisko better in his role too. I loved his expression whenever someone told him she was on the station or wanted to talk to him... kinda like when you hear your mother in law is coming to visit.

Very nice tribute Steve. I am shocked to hear that Louise was only in 14 episodes, just shows what a fantastic job she did with so little. RIP

“You know that ancient principle of medicine: the customer is always right.” 😂

It takes a truly talented actor to make a character as big of a hate sink as Winn. I absolutely dreaded seeing her in every episode she appeared, but for all the right reasons.

Kai Winn was expertly played, definitely one of Star Treks most relatable villains in that you can see her pretty much everywhere you go. Kai Winn was a warning from Star Trek, unfortunately this warning goes unheeded. Nurse Ratched as well was played astoundingly and convincingly well by Louise. You know people like Nurse Ratched, you know people like Kai Winn. This is what makes them so memorable and terrifying.

Even the way Kai Winn called Major Kira "my child" was fraught with menace. And she only once ever doubted herself or got a clear look at any of her own character flaws. A brief moment of humility that evaporated when Kira suggested she'd have to step down as Kai to redeem herself. She resented that so much she was well on her way to the embrace of the demonic Pah Wraiths. Great character, with so much unspoken nastiness roiling around under her calm, pious facade. I'll miss her, and I mourn the chance of her character ever showing up on LOWER DECKS. (BTW that was a great impression of Constable Odo. You sounded like McGruff, the cartoon "Take a bite out of crime" dog from those old circa-1980 PSAs.

The thing about Life Support for me was how it showed the gnawing lack of self-confidence at Winn's core. Her ambition and scheming wasn't some grand plan to serve her version of the faith, everything was just a tool to garner validation and love for herself.

I always think she was underrated as a villain. Gul Ducat always gets the accolades for the best villain. What makes Kai Winn great is how she represents the evil hiding on your own side. Her fake smile works on so many around her. Many see her as standing up for Bajor, even she sees herself in this way… until the end when it comes down to her power versus bajor. Bajor didn’t stand a chance.

I remember the episode The Reckoning.when the Prophets choose Kira to be their instrument and Louise conveyed Winn's feeling of abandonment so well that I felt sorry for her. Mind you it didn't last for long as Winn went back to being her usual self and disrupted the duel between the Pah Wraith and The Prophet out of jealousy,

What really made my skin crawl with Winn was every time she'd look at Kira and refer to her as "my child" 🤮🤮

What I loved about her performance as Win was that underneath all of the self-serving evil, the pride and vanity, the callousness and the cruelty, we get to see glimpses of the freedom fighter she grew up as, and the desperate desire to actually serve the prophets. Her ambition and sense of grandiosity corrupt that desire when the prophets don't speak to her, but the ambers of those two positive emotions - love for her world and people and love for her gods - remain alive (if barely) underneath all of the evil that has grown over it. And Louise Fletcher managed to show us this "humanity" at the heart of Win with a subtlety and skill that helped elevate DS9 to being the greatest of all ST shows.

She is one of the all time greats. Some actors embody a character so thoroughly, no one else could've played the role. The fact that she doesn't even need to be present in the episode, Kai Wynn could just be mentioned, and her presence is felt, shows how huge her personality looms over any project. Fletcher will never be forgotten and always be missed. R.I.P Queen of the Baddies.

WTF!? Louise Fletcher died last month and i didn't hear or see a goddamn thing about it until i stumbled across this video! she's one of the reasons why i still love watching DS9 as reruns for years now. this video was a great episode analysis and heartfelt farewell to to Louise Fletcher to.

I did actually watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest as a kid - I watched it with my mum! She actually wanted me to watch it.

Great episode. My favourite Winn line is from The Circle said to Kira "Feel free to stay as many days as you'd like... even a week if necessary."

She also played the absolutely evil grandmother in “Flowers in the Attic”!!

A truly incredible character and performance - such a departure from the madman after revenge with a superweapon archetype. Having to live with Kai Winn, her presence on and off screen and her relationship with Sisko and the prophets is a microcosm of what made DS9 DS9. Also a master class in Passive aggression, Kai Winn really shone a light on our heroes and offered a flawed but interesting take, like when she said it was "easy" for Kira and the resistance and it was those left in society who had it hardest. If anything her final story arc didn't quite do her justice. Such a sad loss and yes possibly the greatest guest star, in a list that includes Marc Alaimo, Andrew Robinson and Jeffrey Combs is quite the compliment.

That Ed Kemper quip choked me. 😂 Louise was SO good as Winn that the moment she walked into her first scene, you already feel like you've known Winn. She immediately felt as impactful as Kai Opaka. The character already felt lived-in and an organic part of the Bajorans we'd met up to that point.

It takes a special kind of actor to so effortlessly make an audience hate them. I hope the fans were understanding and never gave her any grief for her performance. RIP Queen.

That was a great video Steve and you're absolutely correct, when you think about how iconic and how big a role Kai Winn was in DS9 and how big an impact she had on the show it's hard to believe she was only in 14 episodes it certainly feels like she was in many more, so the fact she achieved so much in so little episodes in comparison to the 176 they did is a testament to how great a performance she did.

As bizzare as this may sound, this video just made my day better. My Grampa passed on the same day. I have the belief that he has his dance card maxed until my Grandma can join him. But I am happy to think that they had their first dance together so he didn't go alone... And they danced in through the gate together. Thank you for the video man, I really appreciate it.

It's stunning how much of an impact she had on DS9, having been in relatively little of the show's run. Random sidenote: Since she passed, it bothered me that none of her tributes mentioned her being the mom in Footloose. I finally looked it up just now and discovered that was actually Dianne Wiest :-\

Oh no! She played such a great villan. Safe journey, Ms. Fletcher.

Thanks so much for this. I had no idea that Louise Fletcher had died. Her portrayal of Kai Winn marinated in the evils of religious zealotry was really superb. (and gawd, looking back, the writing for that show was just so damn good!) So sorry that she's gone, she was a wonderful actress (and I am old enough to remember seeing her as Nurse Ratchet when the film came out. That performance was stellar; it was all everyone was talking about at the time)

You can tell just how great an actress she is by the fact that it genuinely surprised me to see her called a 'guest star' rather than a main character. By yeah all that in only 14 episodes. Such power in her acting and such a lasting impact.

Why, oh why, wasn't she included in "Far Beyond the Stars" - as Benjamin's psychiatric nurse?

I only found out she died recently after noticing Brad Dourif in an episode of "Murder She Wrote," which took me down the path of looking up other actors from Cuckoo's Nest, which in turn led me to the discovery that Louise Fletcher played both Nurse Ratched and Kai Winn. I haven't seen DS9 in a very long time, but I still remember the vitriol I felt for her character. I was pleasantly surprised to see an "in memorium" video in her honor on this channel. Wasn't expecting to cry today, but that's what happened. Rest in peace Louise Fletcher. You will be missed.

That was a wonderful piece. Thank you Steve. Louise was also the Evil Grandmother in 1987's 'Flowers in the Attic'; a very... VERY disturbing film.

Last year you made an excellent case for why Weyoun might be DS9's best villain. If he's the best, Kai Winn Adami is EASILY 2nd on that list with her two-faced, conniving, manipulative nature. But I will definitely always think of Louise Fletcher as a kind, loving soul who was really REALLY good at what she did.

I wish Steve would do episode narrations like this for every episode.

I loved her evil characters. She was a big part of helping me see the same behavior from church leaders when I was an adolescent.

I love these paraphrased episodes

A truly incredible actor. One that could make you want to reach through the screen and strangle their character.

I was wondering if Louise would get a special video and it’s everything I wanted. RIP Louise Fletcher.

Kai Winn, Gul Dukat, Liquidator Brunt, Weyonn and the female Founder are the best villains in all of Star Trek The fact that only four actors play all five people makes it more defining

This is so sad, I have seen "Fly over the cuckoo's nest", and I loved to "hate" her in DS9. What a movie-legacy she left behind her. When I get to the other side I will have a wonderful time time talking to her about all this, it be wonderful. Until we meet, take care, see you soon.

THANK YOU for the clip from her acceptance speech, perhaps the best tribute possible. Funny about great actresses known for their villains -- Angela Lansbury had a long career, but I will always remember her best as Mrs. Iselin from The Manchurian Candidate.

I was recently rewatching the US “Shameless,” and she does a marvelous turn as Frank Gallagher’s “oh that’s why he’s like that” mom Peg. She and William H. Macy have great dysfunctional mother-son energy

Gosh, I hadn't heard that she had passed away, that is sad but as Steve says, she has left us with the legacy of her work. Always a joy to watch, she's definitely one of those actors who has a real presence on screen. May you rest in peace among the stars.

I somehow wasn't aware Louis Fletcher played these two overfly iconic characters! And I've watched both Cuckoo's Nest (in my late 40s now, saw originally when I was in my early teens, then again a few times as an adult) and of course DS9. Damn, she was SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOD!! Thanks for this video Steve. Really appreciate this one especially. Whatta rare gem... LLAP 🖖 from Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦🤙🏻

Our PE teacher showed us Bladerunner, The Omega Man and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (in 45 minute spurts) when we were rained off the playing fields/courts and indoor facilities weren't available when we were 12 and 13, so I had no problem believing your opening anecdote. The death of Zhora burned itself into my memory due to its construction, I suddenly understood what editing was and could do.

Holy duck Steve, the Ed Kemper line was vicious 🤣🤣🤣

Louise Fletcher gave us the most memorable female villains in screen history. Nurse Ratched and Winn Adami.

Kia Winn’s song “They smile in your face All the time want to take your place The backstaber” Louise RIP our hate for the Kai is equal to our love and respect for you.

Steve!! Louise Fletcher terrified me as a kid when I saw her on DS9. So stern. Even when Wynn acted nice or soft, I expected her to turn on a dime and become a viper, lol. Kind of like Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter

I love how New York Times put it. "Later in her career, she played recurring characters on several television series, including “Star Trek: Deep Space 9” (she was an alien cult leader from 1993 to 1999)" Hah! Suck it Winn! But really, great actress. Having not seen the movie I just now realized that a character in Futurama must have been based on this character wow.

Her part was played perfectly and had a little reminder to the old part she played of Nurse Hatchet

This was a beautiful tribute to an underrated talent! ❤️

When you said Louise Fletcher I though, "does he mean Jessica Fletcher?" And then I thought, "No I'm being silly. Jessica Fletcher is Angela Lansbury. I'm sure she is OK." I googled it and she passed away yesterday. What a devastating coincidence... 😪

Kai Winn is one of those characters that I was really happy to see come to a deserving end right along with Gul Dukat. Louise Fletcher did an excellent job playing a character that we all hated so much.

Nice one. I think we were all floored that she only appeared in 14 episodes as she's one of the most memorable characters in Star Trek. That's how dang good Louise Fletcher was. You also know she's a good one (along with the likes of Betty White or Leslie Nielsen) because the internet blew up with loving tributes, discussions of her great roles and so on.

It takes a talented actor to play a despicable character that you want to hate. She did an amazing job in DS9. It's the only thing I've personally seen her in, though I know she is also well known for some classic movies.

Such a great review and a fine tribute to Ms. Fletcher. She was badass! I've heard actors like to play the bad guy, and she owned it. I would have bought the idea of you seeing that movie at age eight. That's around the age my older sister took me to Mel Brooks films and more--when "re-runs" were a thing at the local theater. I was a child of the 70s. 🤘

RIP Louise Fletcher. It's always hard when one of the great ST actors leaves us. 😥💓

Steve's description of this episode is stronger than the episode itself. On paper, it's probably one of DS9's strongest episodes, but it's not as affecting on screen as the plot should be

I watched cuckoo’s nest in ‘91 as part of my pre nurse training. And was drawn to the idea of the system being corrupt and evil leading to institutionalisation as it is in the book. So the the recent Netflix series was so disappointing in that it just included this back story on nurse ratched showing that she was always bound to be evil thus taking away from the idea that the system was corrupt but you become complicit when you don’t speak up against it. So yes nicely synapsed Steve especially at the end as that’s what we were taught watching it all those years ago. A life well remembered for Louise Fletcher. RIP. Absolutely brilliant as Kai Winn nobody could do passive aggressive as well as her.

Despite being older than you, I still have not seen One Flew Over the Cucoo's Nest. So I didn't realize it was the same actor. But I absolutely loved to hate Wynn. She played her so well. Rest in peace, Louise. Thank you for sharing, Steve.

Only 14 episodes, yet a huge impact on the show and those who watch it.

LOL I truly love how you paraphase the episodes dialogue. Masterful!

I hated and loathe every single second she was on screen. My skin literally crawled in disgust as she spoke and smirked. God she was amazing. No one would have done Winn justice than Louise Fletcher. Rest In Peace, you are loved and missed.

*grabs earlobe* My child, this was a most touching In Memoriam.

That was deeply touching. Rest in peace 💐

you did a very good Odo impersonation. i almost thought i was hearing Rene one last time And She played the bad guy real well here. This character was the one character that makes us believe in the love hate relationship. May Louise rest in peace.

Thanks for doing this, Steve. That was a beautiful tribute to a criminally underappreciated actor (underappreciated in the Trek community, at least).

She was so good at the passive aggressive bad guy..

"Louise Fletcher has this thing she does as Winn where the more evil she's being, the nicer she acts" That reminds me of "The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife" The 48th Rule of Acquisition.

"...Pre-adolescent Ed Kemper with a box of kittens and a shovel..." That was pure gold, Steve!

This was a FANTASTIC tribute to an incredible actress. Thank you!

An awesome tribute, Steve! I had not made the connection between Winn and Ratchett, so that was a surprise. On the other hand, I've only seen "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" once and that was when it was in the cinema. It is stunning to realize that Winn is only in 14 episodes of DS9. I am rewatching the series now (on season 6) and I was surprised when I realized that her first appearance is the very last episode of season 1. As you said, her impact is HUGE. Her jealousy of Sisko and her struggle to not be in his shadow all the time, even though she is the kai, fills even episodes she's not in, and it is laid bare in "The Reckoning." She is constitutionally incapable of genuine self-examination. But this is a tribute to Louise Fletcher, not Kai Winn. Fletcher earned respect as an actor for being able to be a fundamentally good person capable of portraying genuine, profound evil. I don't know any more about her life than you have said here, but from what you have said, I am sure that those who did know her and love her also respected her for much, much more.

Seeing her sign during her acceptance speech, for her deaf parents, is incredibly moving. Even from the short clip you included. I have that feeling in my cheeks and behind my eyes you get when you're about to cry. You can feel the love and happiness behind what she did.

Well done, Steve. That was a beautiful obituary. Thank you.

There was a show on years ago where they discussed books. And they had on several psychiatric nurses, doctors, and former patients. Who said that nurse Ratchet wasnt as cruel as she seemed.

Really nice tribute and brought a tear to my eye. I know the story that stuck with me was how difficult filming One Flew... was for her playing such a nasty character. She at one point just threw off her dress just to break character.

DS9 (writers) had a way of making you absolutely love or hate characters very quickly. I remember how soul-crushing it was for me to lose Kai Opaka. Honestly, it might have been the crush I have on Kira, but when I saw her mourn for Opaka, it was crushing for me - personally. What Louise Flecher did was beyond brilliant. In my world, she ranks as high as Ricardo Montalbán. Great protagonists need great antagonists. Thank you steve, very well done sir.

Actual LOL at "thank God, his personality hasn't been affected"

RIP Fletcher - Great actor! I did loved hating her in DS9.

I feel we are close to the same age, and had seen Jack Nicholson's classic at an early enough age to not respect the quality, but old enough to remember it where I could not watch it today and respect what it is.

Louise Fletcher seems specialist in the Women of underlying power. I was impressed by her performance as, the Grandmother/Patriarch character in 1970s version of film, Flowers in the Attic.

this is one of your best videos that I've seen so far Steve - Louise Fletcher will be missed

So well done! You should be proud for the good words you have pay tribute to this fine woman with! You should have a lot of heart and soul and understanding and I hope her family gets to see this.

She worked with Nicholson, and she won an Oscar. ‘Nuff Said!

Ever since her character in Mindscape died, I thought Louise Fletcher had also died. It's good to hear that it was her in DS9 and that she had lived to a ripe, old age.

I guess I didn't really realize it when i first watched Ds9 but I always knew there was something about her, referencing her Nurse Ratchet role. Fantastic actor, such a memorable role in Star Trek!

"I did the usual Star Trek shit..." describes pretty much 99% of conversations about work that take place in any show in the franchise.

TOTALLY!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤ P.S.: I recognized Ms. Fletcher immediately, having been old enough to have seen "Cuckoo's Nest" in the theatre.

Star Trek has some great villains, but one character that frustrates me and angers me the most and that is ki Winn Adami. She's one of those characters that you know that she's up to no good and she always finds a way to get out squeaky clean from any situation. Thank you, Louise Fletcher. you were a fantastic actor.

Was never a big fan of DS9 but the acting was always good and Louise Fletcher was particularly excellent.

wth is going on with the AI scaled screen grabs. At 6:24 Miles looks like he wearing glasses and Kira looks like her face is melting. By the way your Odo impression at 6:12 is spot on.

I think my favorite Kai Winn moment is a single exchange she has with Weyoun in "In the Cards". Weyoun says they have a great deal in common, and Winn just grabs him to feel his pagh and then gives the most dismissive, "No. We are nothing alike," the delivery of which slices Weyoun up like a roast turkey. Very satisfying. ETA: Wandering back having rewatched the episode, and I think "In the Cards" is underappreciated. It gets a bit silly, but it's aware of that silly and has fun with it, every bit with Kai Winn is golden from her first conversation with Sisko on, Weyoun exists in it (never not a good time), Weyoun and Winn interact (glorious), and Jake and Nog's A-plot sets up Nog's later B-plot in what is easily one of my top three episodes of the series, "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River". Nog's clearly doing a smaller-scale version of the wheeling and dealing he winds up doing in TF&tGR, and he gets to see just how effective it is for making EVERYBODY happy. (Except Leeta.)

She's one of those actors who every time I see their face I have to stop and think "Hold up am I feeling visceral dislike because of something this person did or something they portrayed a character doing?" Same goes for Joaquin Phoenix because of what he did to Maximus. No disrespect to either of them personally of course, just a testament to their work and how effective I found their performances. Also you'd think at some point in the series someone would have decided it was worth trying to cure Opaka again.

Your Star Trek videos are awesome, Steve. "Deep Space Nine" is not my Trek, but Fletcher and her character Kai Winn Adami are superb. Thanks for sharing your astute assessments with us. Peace

When I see a picture of Winn I can hear in my mind: *deep breath* My child....

Vedek/Kai Winn is absolutely abhorrent, awful, unpleasant and fascinating character in a show filled with fascinating characters, who absolutely helps bring it to life. And I love them for that. It takes a truly talented actor to be able to make such an unpleasant character who we're designed to hate so loved by fans. But thats the power of DS9's cast and writers. She'll be missed.

Louise Fletcher Was Also In ("Brainstorm"-"1983") That's Where I Recall Seeing Her In Long Before ("DS9") As ("Kai Winn") (" ♏♏🦂🦂☮☮☯☯").

It's pretty amazing that she was only in 14 episodes, especially considering the run of episodes at the end of the series.

She was also in "best of the best".

She was a awesome villain and a incredible actress

Ahh, Vedek Bareil...The living Bajoran Ship of Theseus.