Pioneering Hollywood actress Cicely Tyson, who died aged 96, has received glowing tributes from several stars on Twitter including singer Mariah Carey, Rihanna and several others.
Carey wrote: “Honoring the life of the legendary Ms. Cicely Tyson, a queen who graced the world with her beauty, strength and talent. Grateful for her legacy and for the chance to read her unvarnished truth. Rest in Power.”
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Known for playing strong African-American characters, Tyson was described by Rihanna as “a true legend,” while actress, producer and director Kerry Washington, thanked her for “blessing us and for lighting the way.”
Bryce Dallas Howard, known for his role in ‘The Help’, wrote: “Ms. Cicely Tyson. A pioneer and enlightened genius. Her life was one spent inspiring others. To have been in her presence was a privilege. Thank you for your light, leadership, and legacy. Wishing you and your loved ones peace in this transition. What a human! What a life!”
Former United States President Barack Obama was not left out when he described Tyson as “one of the rare award-winning actors whose work on the screen was surpassed only by what she was able to accomplish off of it. She had a heart unlike any other-and for 96 years, she left a mark on the world that few will ever match.”
According to the Guardian UK, no cause of the death was given.
The former fashion model had a career that spanned seven decades. She won two Emmys for her performance in the 1974 civil rights-era film ‘The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman’.
Tyson also became the first black woman to take on a main role in the TV drama ‘East Side/West Side’ in the 1960s.
In 2016, while presenting her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the then US President Obama said Tyson had shaped the course of history.
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