The groundbreaking show that helped launch a miniseries craze, “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s novel, is one of the most watched series in television history, with an estimated 100 million people competing for the finale alone. aligning. Tyson often said that people would always know her as Binta, her ‘Roots’ character, whatever other role she played. As the mother of Kunta Kinte, Tyson only had a few scenes, but those were essential in laying the foundation of the story, making the ugliness of slavery real to a large audience.
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Saturday Night Live (1979)
Before anyone could accuse Tyson of humorlessness on prestigious TV, she poked fun at her own image during her time as the first black woman to host Saturday Night Live. Due to the show’s lack of diversity at the time, it meant she shared a lot of skits (and a monologue) with the only black cast member at the time, Garrett Morris (who also did a Tyson impersonation). In their best parts, they jokingly bicker about racial issues – the Token Minority Window-Dressing Act, the Black Resentment Drama Workshop. Bonus: Tyson sings!
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Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
As Sipsey, Tyson turns out to be the secret weapon in a film ostensibly about relationships between other women – a story of love and friendship between Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker), as told by Ninny (Jessica Tandy) with Evelyn (Kathy Bates), who then becomes inspired to change her own life. Sipsey is the mother figure to her own family and to a white person, and Tyson gives the character a quiet cruelty that might surprise you. It certainly amazes the local Klansmen.
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‘The Help’ (2011)
In this popular adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel, Tyson must fight for attention in a cast heavy on the celebrated (and Oscar-nominated) competition. She finally succeeds with her unforgettable portrayal of Constantine, the beloved black girl and nanny who raised the white girl Skeeter (Emma Stone), to be tragically pushed aside. Despite Tyson’s brief on-screen time, her character looms up throughout the movie – and by the end, she’s broken your heart.