Actress Carol Sutton Dead at Age 76
Actor Carol Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy “Steel Magnolias” and the TV series “Queen Sugar,” has died from complications from COVID-19, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Sutton was 76.
“The world may recognize her from her performances in movies and on TV — whether it’s ‘Treme’ or ‘Claws,’ or ‘Runaway Jury’ or ‘Queen Sugar’ — but we will always remember her commanding stage presence, her richly portrayed characters, and the warm heart she shared with her fellow cast and crew,” Cantrell said in a statement.
Carol Sutton was practically the Queen of New Orleans theater, having graced the stages across the city for decades. The world may recognize her from her performances in movies and on TV — whether it’s “Treme” or “Claws,” or “Runaway Jury” or “Queen Sugar” –⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ODsTh9PrTg
— Mayor LaToya Cantrell (@mayorcantrell) December 11, 2020
Sutton died Thursday at Touro Infirmary.
After making her acting debut in the late 1960s in Dashiki Project Theatre productions, Sutton appeared in productions such as “The Last Madam,” “Native Tongues” and “A Raisin in the Sun.”
Tonight on BOUNCETV, 8 o’clock PST, Greyson Family Christmas! Enjoy the wonderful performance of #CarolSutton! #RIPMOM pic.twitter.com/wvF9J2sZuT
— Stan Shaw (@StanShaw1) December 12, 2020
She moved to television in 1974 with “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” with Cicely Tyson and had roles in “In the Heat of the Night” and the TV movie “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” with Avery Brooks.
Her recent TV credits included “Scream Queens,” the 2016 remake of the series “Roots,” “Treme,” “True Detective” and “Lovecraft Country.”
#CarolSutton was an extremely beautiful, talented & gifted actress w a golden heart. She PLAYED MY MOM in (#GreysonFamilyChristmas) My heart’s broken, covid is deadly real! Love the ppl God has given you. You’ll never know, when He may take them back! #TooMuch #RIPMOM #WearAMask pic.twitter.com/JEf7134rNZ
— Stan Shaw (@StanShaw1) December 11, 2020
Her film work includes roles in such movies as “Monster’s Ball,” “Ray” and “The Help.”
She played a policewoman in “The Pelican Brief” with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington and a nurse opposite Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Shirley MacLaine in “Steel Magnolias.”
She was a judge in “The Big Easy” with Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin.
On behalf of the QUEEN SUGAR family, we celebrate the life of the stellar Carol Sutton. It was our honor to welcome this veteran actress of stage + screen to our show as Aunt Martha in Episode 409, “Stare at the Same Fires.” We bless her. May she rise and rest in peace and power. pic.twitter.com/OMbRExLvMz
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) December 12, 2020
Ava DuVernay, creator of the OWN series “Queen Sugar,” tweeted:
“It was our honor to welcome this veteran actress of stage + screen to our show as Aunt Martha in Episode 409, ‘Stare at the Same Fires.’ … May she rise and rest in peace and power.”
Survivors include a son, Archie; a daughter, Aunya; a brother, Oris Buckner; a sister, Adrienne Jopes; and five grandchildren.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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