Cicely Tyson Biography
Cicely Tyson (born: Cicely L. Tyson) is an American actress and former fashion model. In her six-decade career, she is best known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. She has received three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Black Reel Awards, one Screen Actor Guild Award, one Tony Award, and an honorary Academy Award.
Early in her career, Tyson appeared in minor film and television roles. She garnered widespread attention and critical acclaim for her performance as Rebecca Morgan in the 1972 American Deluxe color drama film, Sounder. For her work in the film, Tyson was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
Her portrayal of the title role in the 1974 television film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman won her further praise. The role won her two Emmy Awards and a nomination for a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Tyson has also appeared in various theater productions. She was named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2015. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor in the United States in November 2016.
Cicely Tyson Age | How Old is Cicely Tyson?
Tyson was born on December 19, 1924, in Harlem, New York City, New York, United States. She is [agecalc birthdate=1924-12-19]
Cicely Tyson Family | Cicely Tyson Siblings
Tyson was born in Harlem on December 19, 1924, in Harlem, New York City, the US to immigrants Frederica Tyson, a domestic worker, and William Augustine Tyson, who worked as a carpenter, painter, and at any other jobs he could find. Cicely has two siblings, a brother Issac Tyson and a sister Sandra Tyson.
Cicely Tyson Husband | Cicely Tyson Miles Davis
Tyson married jazz trumpeter Miles Davis on November 26, 1981, in a ceremony conducted by Atlanta mayor Andrew Young at the home of actor Bill Cosby. The couple first dated in the 1960s and Davis used a photo of Tyson for his 1967 album, Sorcerer. Tyson and Davis rekindled their relationship in 1978.
Davis and Tyson’s marriage was tumultuous due to Davis’ volatile temper and infidelity. Davis even credited Tyson with saving his life and helping him overcome his cocaine addiction.
The couple resided in Malibu, California until Tyson filed for divorce in 1988. Their divorce was finalized in 1989. Davis died on 28 September 1991 after several days on life support. His death was attributed to the combined effects of a stroke, pneumonia, and respiratory failure.
Cicely Tyson Kids | Cicely Tyson Children | Cicely Tyson Daughter
Despite being married before, Tyson has no biological children nor adopted ones. Tyson has no daughter.
Cicely Tyson Kimberly Elise | Is Cicely Tyson Kimberly Elise Mother?
Some sources have previously reported that actress Kimberly Elise who played Tyson’s daughter in `Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ indeed her child but it is not true. The connection between Tyson and Elise is only from the movie.
Cicely Tyson Height
The three Primetime Emmy Awards winner Cicely Tyson, stands at 1.61 m tall.
Cicely Tyson Actress
Tyson was a popular fashion model. Her first acting role was on the NBC series Frontiers of Faith in 1951. Tyson played her first stage role in 1950 and her first film role in Carib Gold in 1956, but she went on to do more television work, such as the celebrated series East Side/West Side, in which she became the first African American to star in a television drama and the soap opera The Guiding Light.
In 1961, Tyson featured in the original cast of French playwright Jean Genet’s The Blacks, the longest-running off-Broadway non-musical of the decade, running for 1,408 performances. On March 25, 1963, Tyson appeared on the game show, To Tell The Truth as a decoy contestant for Shirley Abicair.
She appeared with Sammy Davis Jr. in the film A Man Called Adam (1966) and starred in the film version of Graham Greene’s The Comedians (1967). Tyson had a featured role in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), and appeared in a segment of Roots.
In 1972, Tyson featured in with the role of Rebecca Morgan in the critically acclaimed film Sounder. She was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her work in Sounder, and also won the NSFC Best Actress and NBR Best Actress Awards.
In 2013, Tyson played a supporting role in the horror film The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. Since 2014, Tyson has guest-starred in How to Get Away with Murder as Ophelia Harkness, the mother of the main character Annalise Keating (Viola Davis); for this role, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Cicely Tyson Net Worth
Tyson’s long-time career has earned her great wealth. Being a veteran actress and earning herself prominent roles in many popular films has largely contributed to her income generation. Tyson’s net worth amounts to $10 million.
Cicely Tyson Roots
Tyson featured in the Roots an American television miniseries where she played the role of Binta. For her role in the film, Tyson was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie.
Cicely Tyson The Help
The Help is a 2011 American period drama film, where he featured in playing the role of Constantine Bates. The film and novel recount the story of a young white woman and aspiring journalist Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan.
Cicely Tyson Hat
On August 31, 2018, Tyson drew so much attention during her friend Aretha Franklin’s funeral due to the amazing big-black hat she wore. With a hat that turned heads and songs that stirred hearts, he spoke passionately at Aretha’s funeral. Tyson was largely praised.
Cicely Tyson Movies
Some of Tyson’s films include:
- The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968)
(Drama) - Sounder (1972)
(Drama, Family) - The Help (2011)
(Drama) - Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)
(Crime, Drama, Thriller) - Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
(Drama) - The Last Angry Man (1959)
(Drama) - A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ But a Sandwich (1978)
(Drama) - The Comedians (1967)
(Drama)
Cicely Tyson Quotes
Age is just a number. Life and aging are the greatest gifts that we could possibly ever have.
I am the sum total of each one of the women I have played. That they were able to survive the times, and the way in which they did it, made me a stronger person and allowed me to truly believe that all things are possible.
Cicely Tyson Oscar
- Academy Award for Best Actress: Sounder 1973.
Cicely Tyson Awards
Emmy Awards
1974
- Best Lead Actress in a Drama – The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Actress of the Year – Special – The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
1994
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special – Oldest Confederate Living Confederate Widow Tells All
Tony Award
- 2013 Best Actress in a Play The Trip to Bountiful
Academy Award
- 2018 Academy Honorary Award
