Tony Winners Cicely Tyson & Rita Moreno Are Among 2015 Kennedy Center Honorees

Tony winners Cicely Tyson and Rita Moreno, as well as Beautiful singer-songwriter Carole King, are among the 2015 Kennedy Center Honorees. They will be recognized, along with filmmaker George Lucas, rock band The Eagles and conductor Seiji Ozawa, during the 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, which will be broadcast on December 29 on CBS.

Tyson will soon be seen on Broadway opposite James Earl Jones in The Gin Game. She won the 2013 Tony for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in The Trip to Bountiful and was also nominated for an Emmy Award for the 2014 television movie version. Tyson made history when she became the first African American to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for 1974’s TV film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Her 1972 film Sounder earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. On stage, Tyson has starred in shows including The Corn Is Green, Trumpets of the Lord, Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights and Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright. Recent film appearances include Alex Cross, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and The Help.

Broadway vet Moreno won the Tony for The Ritz; additional Great White Way credits include The Odd Couple, Wally's Cafe, The National Health and Gantry. She is the only Hispanic member of the prestigious EGOT club; Moreno won the Oscar for her performance in the film adaptation of West Side Story.