On Friday morning (Oct. 4), pioneering actress and singer Diahann Carroll died at age 84. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the thespian passed away in Los Angeles after a long battle with cancer.
From Las Vegas as a performer to the silver screen as a widely-recognized actress, Carroll graced Hollywood with her presence in classic shows like Dynasty, Julia, and musicals like Porgy & Bess. In 1974, Carroll captivated audiences in her lead role in Claudine (which she received an Oscar nomination for), A Different World, and commanded attention in film productions like Carmen Jones.
The Bronx native’s prowess on Broadway led her to win a Tony Award for Richard Rodgers’ No Strings musical. In 1968, Carroll was also heralded as the first African-American woman to play a non-servant role and land her own television series in Julia.
Not only was she a force to be reckoned in film and television, but Carroll also recorded various albums stemming back to 1958’s Best Beat Forward, 1962’s Showstopper, and 1997’s The Time Of My Life.
In 2011, Carroll’s resume led her to be honored by the Television Hall of Fame. She’s survived by her daughter and grandchildren.