Cicely Tyson’s Roots co-star LeVar Burton pays vibrant tribute to ‘regal’ actor

‘She possessed a nobility of character and carriage that could, in equal turns, enchant and intimidate’

LeVar Burton attends a ceremony during which Sir Patrick Stewart placed his handprints and footprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre on 13 January 2020 in Hollywood, California (David Livingston/Getty Images)

LeVar Burton, who starred with Cicely Tyson in the celebrated miniseries Roots, has remembered her in a moving tribute.

The homage was published by Variety following Tyson’s death at the age of 96 on Thursday.

Burton played a young  Kunta Kinte in the 1977 Roots, while Tyson starred as Kinte’s mother Binta.

Tyson earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series as a result of her work in the series.

Burton was also nominated for an Emmy, in the Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series category.

In the tribute published on Friday, Burton called Tyson “quite simply one the most beautiful and talented women of her generation”.

“Elegance, style and natural grace oozed effortlessly from every pore of her being, but the word that describes her best in my mind is, regal,” he added.

“She was royalty with a capital R.” She possessed a nobility of character and carriage that could, in equal turns, enchant and intimidate. She knew exactly who she was and dared anyone to disagree with her self-assessment.”

Burton remembered being “in awe” when he acted with Tyson “on [his] very first day as a professional actor in Roots”.

Tyson’s death was announced on Thursday by her family, via her manager.

Throughout her pioneering career, Tyson earned many awards and awards nominations.

She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress  for her role in Sounder. That same part earned her a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama category.

Tyson won two Emmys for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, another for Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, and a Tony for The Trip to Bountiful. 

The actor also received the Academy Honorary Award in 2019.