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“Black Panther” actress Dorothy Steel, who rose to fame for beginning her acting career at the age of 88, has died at 95.
Although it was a life-long dream to act, Steel did not begin to pursue acting until she was 88. At the age of 92, she made her feature film debut in one of the biggest roles in her movie career, as an elder tribal leader in the 2018 Marvel franchise blockbuster movie Black Panther.
She followed up Black Panther with a recurring role as Mother Harris on the series Saints & Sinners, and she later appeared in the comedy Poms, the TV movie Christmas Wishes, Mistletoe Kisses, Daisy Winters, BET’s The Oval and also had a small role in the movie “Jumanji: The Next Level.”
Steel stated that she sat down in front of her computer every day and practiced Nelson Madela’s speeches to find the right tone for her character. She heard back from the Black Panther production team an hour after sending in her audition tape.
Steel was born in Detroit in 1926. She lived in Atlanta but transitioned at her home in Detroit.
Prior to her death, the actress was in the middle of filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which started production this past June. The Marvel franchise reportedly flew her home so she could spend her final moments with her loved ones.
Her agent Cindy Butler wrote. “Thank you, Ms. Dorothy, for giving me the opportunity to ride this wave with you. Thank you too all the Casting Directors who hired Ms. Dorothy. Thank you to the world for loving on her from afar.”
