Cicely Tyson talks to JET about Tony win and more…

Posted by | Ray Cornelius

Veteran actress and recent Tony award-winner, Cicely Tyson talks to JET  mag about her enduring career and current role in Broadway’s A Trip to Bountiful. The legendary film and television diva encourages readers to never give up.  “It’s never too late,” beams the 79-year-old. “I really hope people realize that.”

Tyson stars as Carrie Watts in the revival of the Horton Foote’s American classic. Originally written for white actors, this new show features a multiracial cast of acting heavyweights including Cuba Gooding Jr., Vanessa Williams and Condola Rashad.  However, for Tyson the play’s story goes beyond color and speaks to the human experience.

“I sometimes get a little uncomfortable when I’m asked, ‘What do you think of this show, since it’s written for Whites?” Tyson confides. “The question that comes to my mind is, ‘Is being Black any less human?’ A Trip to Bountiful is a humanistic story. There are very few who are on the face of this universe that cannot, in some way, identify with that story. So I don’t look at it from the perspective of Black or White. I look at it as just being human.”

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The July 22 issue of JET  featuring Cicely Tyson is available on new stands now!