The Hollywood actress Carol Sutton, known for appearing in movies like Steel Magnolias, has tragically passed away due to complications from COVID-19. She was 76 years-old.

Entertainment Tonight reported that Sutton’s death was confirmed by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

“Carol Sutton was practically the Queen of New Orleans theater, having graced the stages across the city for decades,” Cantrell said in a statement. “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 in productions such as 4000 Miles and A Raisin in the Sun. May she rest in God’s perfect peace.”

Daily Mail reported that Sutton had been battling coronavirus for months, and that she had been hospitalized at Touro Infirmary in her native New Orleans.

Sutton launched her hugely successful acting career in the late 1960s by appearing in Dashiki Project Theatre productions. She made her onscreen debut in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and she would go on to appear in movies like Ray, The Help, Monster’s Ball, The Last Exorcism and as Nurse Pam in Steel Magnolias.

Sutton found success in television as well, appearing in “Going to California,” “Treme,” “American Horror Story,”
“True Detective,” “Lovecraft Country,” and “Queen Sugar.”

After news of Sutton’s death broke, the director Ava DuVernay paid tribute to her by posting a clip of her acting in “Queen Sugar.”

“On behalf of the QUEEN SUGAR family, we celebrate the life of the stellar Carol Sutton,” DuVernay wrote. “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.”

https://twitter.com/ava/status/1337562418319265792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1337562418319265792%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etonline.com%2Fcarol-sutton-steel-magnolias-actress-dead-at-76-from-coronavirus-157762

Tributes for Sutton have been pouring in from other celebrities as well:

RIP Ms. Carol. I love you. And I will miss you so much. #CarolSutton #NOLA #Covid19 #YourCountryOwedYouBetter pic.twitter.com/GRycIG2v8T

— Anika Noni Rose (@AnikaNoniRose) December 12, 2020

A legend in theater & film from New Orleans has passed away. Carol Sutton had over 100 film and television credits along with a lifelong presence in the theater community.She was a mentor to us all and her work by example built a career on par with Maggie Smith. RIP beloved Carol pic.twitter.com/7Q0dIMoSOb

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) December 11, 2020

I was fortunate to work with her for a few days on Jeff, Who Lives At Home. What a beautiful person and life. https://t.co/hitUgBQSl5

— Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) December 12, 2020

Despite her success in Hollywood, Sutton told director Tommye Myrick in 2019 that she never even considered leaving her hometown of New Orleans.

“When everyone else left, I never had a desire to leave New Orleans,” Sutton said. “I never wanted to go to Los Angeles or New York.”