Pioneering 'Dynasty' & 'A Different World' Actress Diahann Carroll Dies at 84

Carroll died after a long bout with breast cancer.

Diahann Carroll, the pioneering actress best known for being the first African American woman to star in a TV show, has died. She was 84.

The Hollywood Reporter shared that Carroll "died at her home in Los Angeles after a long bout with breast cancer," news which was shared by her daughter, producer-journalist Suzanne Kay.

Originally hailing from the Bronx, according to The Hollywood Reporter she would go on to win a Tony award and receive an Oscar nomination. A few of her memorable roles were in the television shows Julia — which was the first TV show centered around a professional black woman — Dynasty, and A Different World.

Perhaps one of the most acclaimed roles Carroll played was the character Dominique Deveraux in Dynasty in the mid-'80s. Prior to this she appeared in a plethora of film dramas and was the lead character in the aforementioned show Julia in 1968. This role made her the first-ever black woman to land her own series. Her colorful background was also marked by the miniseries Roots: The Next Generation and the film Eve's Bayou amongst a slew of other iconic films.

Alongside her daughter, Carroll leaves behind her two grandchildren August and Sydney.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter