Louise Fletcher (July 22, 1934 – September 23, 2022) was an American actress best known for her iconic role as Nurse Ratched in the 1975 film 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Born in Birmingham, Alabama to deaf parents, she developed a unique understanding of non-verbal communication. Her career began with television guest roles in the 1960s, but her portrayal of the cold, authoritarian nurse made her a cinematic legend. Later, she gained a new generation of fans as Kai Winn on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.' Fletcher's legacy endures as one of cinema's most memorable antagonists.