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Vanessa Williams Heartbroken over Cicely Tyson's Death Hours after Posting Photos of Her on IG

Afouda Bamidele
By Afouda Bamidele
Jan 29, 2021
12:50 P.M.

Vanessa Williams shared a soul-stirring post about the life and times of the Hollywood legend, Cicely Tyson, who passed on yesterday at the age of 96.

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Vanessa Williams shared her heartbreak in a new post on Instagram following the announcement that Hollywood has lost one of its legendary talents. In the post, Williams fondly shared her memories of Cicely Tyson.

The post included a photo taken on the set of a theater production, with Williams posing beside Tyson and some other stars. She noted that the event was a recent one and she was only just speaking about it a few hours before learning of her death.

Vanessa Williams at the SiriusXM Studios on May 31, 2017 in New York City | Photo: Getty Images

Vanessa Williams at the SiriusXM Studios on May 31, 2017 in New York City | Photo: Getty Images

The image showed Tyson rocking a pink patterned dress and a small hat. Music star Williams wrote about the film project she and Tyson worked on while noting that it was an honor. She captioned the reflective post:

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"At the end of each performance, we would pick her up and carry her off into the wings as she giggled with delight. Her eyes lit up like a teenager.…"

Late Cicely Tyson during the OWN segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 16, 2020 in Pasadena, California | Photo: Getty Images

Late Cicely Tyson during the OWN segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 16, 2020 in Pasadena, California | Photo: Getty Images

Williams, 57, noted the lively nature of Tyson and called her the great one who lived a tremendous life. The award-winning singer finished the post with a farewell message and a reminder of her affection.

One of [Tyson's] pivotal roles was in "Trip to Bountiful," which Williams referred to in her tribute post.

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In the late hours of January 28, the showbiz world was alerted that one of Hollywood's most revered stars, Tyson, had passed on. The cause of her demise was not stated.

Tyson lived a life filled with achievements and milestones. In Hollywood and history as a whole, she was viewed as a pioneering force. In the classic times, Tyson fought stereotypes that African-American actresses faced.

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One of her pivotal roles was in "Trip to Bountiful," which Williams referred to in her tribute post. Tyson was the protagonist in the Broadway show, and despite her old age, she stayed active playing the strong-willed Carrie Watts.

This role held a special place in Tyson's heart because she always wished to play Carrie Watts. At the time she bagged the Broadway gig, Tyson promised to quit the acting industry after fulfilling her "The Trip to Bountiful" dream.

While on the project, the late star and Williams had a good time and enjoyed each other's company. Once in an interview, the "War Room" star spoke highly of Williams, stating how easy it was to work with her.

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