CICELY TYSON

Modeling may have given her start but switching to modeling was the best career move for Cicely. For her performance in Sounder as Rebecca Morgan, she received her first Academy Award nomination. This was later followed by a nomination for BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and  two Emmy award wins, for her role in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman. In addition, Tyson is also a recipient for one Screen Actors Guild Award, an honorary Academy Award, a Peabody Award, and four Black Reel Awards.

Known for her portrayal of strong African-American women, she participated in the critically-acclaimed film The Help back in 2011. Despite Tyson’s age, retirement from the industry does not seem to come anytime soon as she is quite active in the recent years.  Her most notable TV credit in recent years is from How to Get Away With Murder, which she’s been part of since its inception. In 2016, Cicely was honored with The Presidential Medal of Freedom.