Cicely Tyson, Other Black Actors Shine at Tony Awards
Veteran actor Cicely Tyson won her first Tony Award last night. Tyson was one of four black actors to bring home a trophy after last night’s show celebrating the best of the Broadway stage. Tyson had not appeared on Broadway in three decades. She won the award for best actor for her role in The Trip Bountiful. The play also features Vanessa L. Williams and Cuba Gooding, Jr.
In Horton Foote’s “The Trip to Bountiful,” Tyson plays a widow in 1953 whose only desire is to revisit her old home in Bountiful and recapture purpose she lost when she left for Houston.
Tyson beat out Laurie Metcalf, Amy Morton, Kristine Nielsen and Holland Taylor. She gave a long acceptance speech and was cut off by music. “‘Please wrap it up,’ it says,” Tyson said, referring to the teleprompter. “Well, that’s exactly what you did with me: You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years.”
Tyson was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Sounder” in 1972. Other film credits include “Fried Green Tomatoes,” ”Bustin’ Loose” and “Jefferson in Paris.”
Read more at CBS News.
Black actors Billy Porter, Courtney B. Vance, and Patina Vance also won awards last night.
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