Olympia Dukakis passed away today in her New York home, her family has announced.

The Oscar winning star of *Moonstruck,” theater legend and acting “force of nature” was 89.

I got to talk with her a few times over the years, brassy and holding her own with her fractious “Steel Magnolias” co-stars, following her around as she gave pep talks to acting classes at the U.N.C. School of the Arts, and for one of her later films.

Sweet lady, regal when the mood strick her, a grande dame of stage and screen.

A fun documentary on her life came out just a couple of months back.