Cicely Tyson reflected on her career, her childhood, and the prophetic prediction a stranger made about her life when she was just a baby while conducting her very last interview just one day before her death at age 96.
Cicely died on January 28, 2021, but only one day earlier was interviewed by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest on their talk show Live With Kelly And Ryan about her wildly successful career.
The interview ended up being her very last, and producers were moved to tears learning the iconic actress was a devoted fan of the talk show.
Incredible life: Cicely Tyson reflected on her career, her childhood, and the prophetic prediction a stranger made about her life when she was just a baby while conducting her very last interview just one day before her death at age 96
Cicely was promoting her newly released memoir, Just As I Am, when she discussed the unusual prediction a woman made about her life when she was just a baby.
‘My mother was pushing me in a baby carriage, and this woman stopped her and started playing with me and turned to my mother and said, “Take care of this child. She has a sixth sense. She’s going to make you very proud one day, and she will take care of you in your old age.”‘ Cicely said.
As fortune would have it, Cicely did end up becoming a wildly successful star who undoubtedly made her mother proud.
Interestingly, despite making a career in showbiz, Cicely was a very shy child who sucked her thumb for 12 years.
‘She has a sixth sense’: Cicely was promoting her newly released memoir, Just As I Am, when she discussed the unusual prediction a woman made about her life when she was just a baby
Prediction fulfilled: As fortune would have it, Cicely did end up becoming a wildly successful star who undoubtedly made her mother proud
‘As a child, I was very shy. I stuck this thumb for twelve years. I was an observer. I would sit at the table and observe everything that was said and or done, and so I listened and I learned why people said and did the things that they did,’ she said.
Still, she had a bit of a rebellious streak.
Cicely described her mother as incredibly over protective who would not allow them to go anywhere without her.
But Cicely still managed to sneak out of the house every Saturday when her mother was out, and took a subway all the way down to a department store to watch a concert of ‘little white girls’ singing.
Blown away: Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest were delighted to speak with the iconic actress
Rebellious streak: Tyson remembered sneaking out of the house every Saturday as a child and taking the subway to watch a concert at a department store
‘There was not one Black child there, and I would sit at the bottom of the steps and listen to these concerts that they would have every Saturday. And my mother never knew. She had no way of knowing because I would go as soon as she left and return before she got back.’
Cicely also described landing the role that would eventually garner her an Oscar nomination.
The actress was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role of Rebecca in the 1972 film Sounder.
Critical acclaim: Cicely also described landing the role that would eventually garner her an Oscar nomination
‘I never thought that I would be nominated for an Oscar. Never. But I used to view the event every year and one night I watched it and I said, “I’m going to sit in that front row one day.” And… ended up doing that for the role of Rebecca in Sounder.’
Cicely auditioned for the role, but was passed over, and the part ended up getting offered to another actress who turned it down during negotiations.
Upon learning from her manager she was finally offered the part, Cicely recalled saying, ‘I said “Because it doesn’t belong to her. It belongs to me.”‘
‘I’ve been that most of my life’: Cicely also revealed she became a vegetarian following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Moved: Producers were moved to tears learning Cicely was a devoted fan of the talk show
Cicely also revealed she became a vegetarian following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
‘When Martin Luther King was assassinated, I was so stunned by that that I became a vegetarian. And I’ve been that most of my life,’ she said.
Cicely also moved producers to tears revealing she had been a ‘devoted fan’ of Live ever since Regis Philbin was a host.
‘That warms our hearts,’ Ryan said.
‘Everybody’s crying. You’ve made our producers cry, because they are so moved to know you are watching our show!’ Kelly said.
Tyson passed away just one day later, and her family announced her death in a statement via her manager Larry Thompson.
‘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. No cause of death was given.
‘It belongs to me’: Tyson was initially passed over for the role of Rebecca in Sounder, before she was eventually offered it