The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Hollywood mourns trailblazer
Hollywood mourned the trailblazing actress Cicely Tyson following her death at the age of 96, with Barack Obama leading the tributes to a star who “left a mark on the world that few will ever match”.
Tyson was known for playing strong African American women over a glittering career spanning seven decades, credited with shattering stereotypes and paving a path for the generations who came after her.
She won three Emmys, a SAG Award, a Tony and an honorary Academy Award, with acclaimed performances on the big and small screens, including in Sounder and The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman.
Tyson died peacefully on Thursday, Larry Thompson, her manager of over 40 years, said in a statement.
Mr Obama honoured civil rights activist Tyson with the highest civilian honour in the US, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2016, and praised her on and offscreen legacy.
Prominent black women in the entertainment industry celebrated Tyson’s enduring impact in Hollywood. Oprah Winfrey said: “Cicely decided early on that her work as an actor would be more than a job. She used her career to illuminate the humanity of black people. The roles she played reflected her values; she never compromised.”
Whoopi Goldberg said Tyson has been “escorted home by angels”.
Bernice King, daughter of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King, whom Tyson played in a TV drama, said: “I will cherish you always, Lady Cicely. Thank you so much.”