- Died:
- January 28, 2021 (aged 96)
Cicely Tyson
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Who was Cicely Tyson?
Cicely Tyson (1924–2021) was an American actress and model celebrated for her powerful portrayals of African American women. Tyson started as a model, after being discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony magazine. Her acting career began Off-Broadway in 1957, and she later appeared in short-lived Broadway shows and minor film roles.
Committed to positive portrayals of Black women, Tyson gained recognition as Rebecca Morgan in Sounder (1972), earning an Academy Award nomination. Her most well-known role was in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), where she won two Emmy Awards for her performance as a 110-year-old woman.
Tyson received a Tony Award for her role in The Trip to Bountiful. She was also honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and an honorary Academy Award in 2018.
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What is Cicely Tyson best known for?
Cicely Tyson (1924–2021) was an accomplished American actress and model celebrated for her powerful portrayals of strong African American women.
Tyson's career choices reflected her commitment to positive representations of Black women, which, early on, limited her opportunities. Her notable role as Rebecca Morgan in Sounder (1972) earned her an Academy Award nomination. Perhaps her best-known role was in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), where she played the title character, a 110-year-old woman, winning two Emmy Awards.
She received honors from the Congress of Racial Equality, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Council of Negro Women, and in 2018, she received an honorary Academy Award.
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In which types of movies and shows did Cicely Tyson act?
Cicely Tyson was an American actress who portrayed strong African American women in a variety of roles. She appeared in Off-Broadway productions, short-lived Broadway shows, and minor roles in feature films.
Tyson's notable works include Sounder, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Roots, The Women of Brewster Place, and Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. In the 2010s, she had recurring roles in House of Cards and How to Get Away with Murder, and was a cast member in Cherish the Day. Her additional film credits include Fried Green Tomatoes, Hoodlum, The Help, and movies directed by Tyler Perry. Tyson also starred in the Broadway production of The Trip to Bountiful, which earned her a Tony Award.
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How did Cicely Tyson help change the roles of African American women in film and television?
Cicely Tyson helped change the roles of African American women through her commitment to portraying strong, positive images anchor text. This commitment meant that, early in her career, Tyson did not always find steady work in film and television. However, she went on to win two Emmy Awards for her performance in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, where she played the title character, a 110-year-old woman whose life is depicted from slavery through the civil rights movement.
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What are some important awards and honors Cicely Tyson received?
Cicely Tyson, celebrated for her portrayals of strong African American women, received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. Tyson was honored by the Congress of Racial Equality, the NAACP, and the National Council of Negro Women. In 1972, she was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress for Sounder. For her performance in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, she won two Emmy Awards. In 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Later in life, Tyson received a Tony Award for her performance in The Trip to Bountiful. She was named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2015 and, in 2016, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2018, she received an honorary Academy Award.
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How did Cicely Tyson influence future generations of actors?
Cicely Tyson (1924–2021) influenced future generations of actors through her vivid portrayals of strong African American women anchor text. Tyson's commitment to positive images of Black women meant she initially struggled to find steady work. However, her roles in Sounder and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, where she played a 110-year-old woman, earned her critical acclaim and awards, setting a high standard for nuanced portrayals of Black characters.
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Cicely Tyson (born December 19, 1924, Harlem, New York, New York, U.S.—died January 28, 2021) was an American model and actress noted for her vivid portrayals of strong African American women.
Tyson’s birth year is generally believed to be 1924, though some sources give 1933. She was the daughter of immigrants from the Caribbean island of Nevis, and she grew up in a devoutly religious household in Harlem. Discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony magazine, she quickly rose to the top of the modeling world. In 1957 she began acting in Off-Broadway productions, and the following decade she appeared in several short-lived Broadway shows. Tyson won minor roles in a few feature films before portraying Portia in the 1968 film version of Carson McCullers’s The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.
Because she was committed to presenting only positive images of Black women, Tyson initially did not have steady work in film and television. Her next notable role was as Rebecca Morgan in the popular and critically acclaimed film Sounder (1972), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for best actress. In 1974 she appeared in perhaps her best-known role, that of the title character in the television drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, adapted from the eponymous novel by Ernest J. Gaines. Her performance as a 110-year-old woman whose life is depicted from slavery up through the civil rights movement of the 1960s won Tyson two Emmy Awards.
Tyson subsequently took on supporting roles in the television miniseries Roots (1977; based on Alex Haley’s book) and The Women of Brewster Place (1989; based on Gloria Naylor’s novel) before winning another Emmy for her performance in the TV movie Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994). She then starred as the title character in a 1998 television adaptation of Haley’s Mama Flora’s Family. In the 2010s she had recurring roles on House of Cards and How to Get Away with Murder. She also was a cast member of the series Cherish the Day, which debuted in 2020.
Tyson’s additional feature film credits included Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Hoodlum (1997), The Help (2011), and several popular movies directed by Tyler Perry. In 2013 she returned to Broadway, after nearly 30 years, to play the lead in a revival of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful; her performance earned her a Tony Award. She also starred in the 2014 television adaptation of the play. In 2015–16 she appeared in the Broadway production of The Gin Game.
Apart from her acting career, Tyson was known for her relationship with jazz musician Miles Davis (married 1981–88). She was honoured by the Congress of Racial Equality, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Council of Negro Women. In 1977 she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. She was named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2015. The following year Tyson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2018 she received an honorary Academy Award. Tyson’s memoir, Just As I Am (written with Michelle Burford), was released days before her death in 2021.