Mary Alice, ‘Matrix Revolutions’ and Emmy-Winning ‘I’ll Fly Away’ Actress, Dies

Mary Alice, who earned a Tony and an Emmy in her long career, died Wednesday at her Manhattan home. Sources differ as to her age, which was either 80 or 85.

Deadline confirmed her death with the NYPD, but no further details were available.

Alice began working on Broadway in the late ’60s, taking her first starring role in 1971’s “No Place to Be Somebody.” Among her many stage triumphs, she won the Tony for “Fences” (1987) and was nominated for another for “Having Our Say” (1995).

Viola Davis, an Oscar winner for Alice’s part in the 2016 movie version of “Fences,” memorialized her on Twitter, writing, “RIP Mary Alice…the original Rose Maxson. You were one of the greatest actresses of all time!! Thank you for the work, inspiration and thank you for Rose. Godspeed Queen.”

Alice made many TV movies and TV guest appearances, including her 1975 debut on a episode of “Police Woman,” two episodes of “Sanford and Son” (1975), “Good Times” (1975), and the Oprah Winfrey-produced series “The Women of Brewster Place” (1989).

She was a regular on “A Different World” (1987-1989) and won an Emmy for her work on “I’ll Fly Away” (1992).

On the big screen, Alice debuted in “The Education of Sonny Carson” (1974), was Effie in “Sparkle” (1976), received acclaim for her work in “To Sleep with Anger” (1990), and also appeared in such major films as “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1990), a legendary flop, and Best Picture nominee “Awakenings” (1990) — in the very same year.

Her most high-profile work came in 2003’s “The Matrix Revolutions,” a sequel in which she replaced the late Gloria Foster as the Oracle. It was the most successful film in which she ever starred, and was also her last.

Her final filmed work was on an episode of “Kojak” in 2005, which came five years after her induction into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.