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The death of renowned actress Cicely Tyson Thursday drew an outpouring of grief and an array of tributes from Hollywood and far beyond.
The actress and cherished icon, who was first Oscar-nominated for 1972’s “Sounder” and 45 years later was honored with an honorary golden statuette for her body of work, died Thursday at age 96, her manager Larry Thompson confirmed to USA TODAY.
“With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy,” Thompson said in a statement.
The passing of Tyson, who played the mother of Viola Davis’ character on the Shonda Rhimes-produced “How to Get Away with Murder,” “devastated” the Oscar-winning actress, who shared a touching photo of the pair on Instagram.
“My heart is just broken. I loved you so much!! You were everything to me! You made me feel loved and seen and valued in a world where there is still a cloak of invisibility for us dark chocolate girls. You gave me permission to dream….because it was only in my dreams that I could see the possibilities in myself,” Davis wrote. “I’m not ready for you to be my angel yet. But…I also understand that it’s only when the last person who has a memory of you dies, that you’ll truly be dead. In that case, you will be immortal.”Â
Rhimes referred to Tyson’s death as an “extraordinary loss” of “an extraordinary person.”
“She had so much to teach. And I still have so much to learn,” Rhimes captioned an Instagram picture of herself smiling alongside Tyson. “I am grateful for every moment. Her power and grace will be with us forever.”
“This one hurts,” Zendaya tweeted. “Today we honor and celebrate the life of one of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you Cicely Tyson. Rest in great power.”
Gabourey Sidibe tweeted, “There’s probably no better a way to honor Cicely Tyson, than by learning her story,” referring to Tyson’s newly-released memoir “Just as I Am.”Â
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“My heart….#CicelyTyson,” tweeted Loni Love, co-host of “The Real.”
Actress Tika Sumpter called Tyson a “legend.” She tweeted, “Rest in Paradise Queen. Thank you for kicking doors down for girls like me. #CicelyTyson”
“Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon tweeted, “America has had a lot of great actresses, but none greater than Cicely Tyson. Rest in Power.”
George Takei tweeted a tribute to a fellow acting trailblazer: “She led a pioneering career in film, a remarkable feat for an African American woman born 96 years ago.  An Emmy and Tony award winning actress, her career on screen and on stage stretched an incredible seven decades. We will miss you dearly, Cicely. RIP.”
Tyson’s influence extended far beyond Hollywood, as prominent people in politics, journalism and other fields honored the star .Â
Gayle King tweeted praise, along with her nine-minute “CBS This Morning” interview with Tyson timed to the release of her new memoir: “Thank you Cicely Tyson… for everything…”
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Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, the children of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., also paid their respects.
“The world lost a trailblazer today,” Martin Luther King III tweeted. “#CicelyTyson paved the way for so many artists after her and beautifully portrayed iconic roles such as Harriett Tubman and my mother, Coretta Scott King. Rest in peace, Cicely. You will be missed.”
The Martin Luther King Jr. Center shared a picture of Tyson and Coretta Scott King.
“The King Center joins the world in remembering the life and legacy of #CicelyTyson,” the King Center’s post reads. “Trailblazer is not a sufficient description. What a legendary artist, sage and matriarch. We salute her. Rest in power, Lady Cicely.”
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) included a picture of Tyson and herself with a group of prominent Black women in her tweet: “So saddened to hear my friend #CicelyTyson has passed-one of the most profound, talented, & celebrated actors in the industry. She was a serious actor, beautiful & spiritual woman who had unlocked the key to longevity in the way she lived her life. Forever all my love & respect.”
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White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted on her personal account: “96 years of beauty and elegance. Thank you, Cicely Tyson.”
Katie Couric wrote Tyson’s passing is “such a loss.”
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