Viola Davis Pens Emotional Tribute to Late TV Mom Cicely Tyson

Viola Davis is speaking out after the loss of Cicely Tyson, who played her mother on the ABC series How to Get Away with Murder.

The Oscar-winning actresses also worked together in the 2011 movie The Help, in which Cicely played the role of Constantine Bates, the maid who raised Emma Stone‘s character and was fired after an incident when her daughter showed up at her place of work.

“I’m devastated. My heart is just broken,” Viola wrote on her Instagram account.

She continued, “I loved you so much!! You were everything to me! You made me feel loved and seen and valued in a world where there is still a cloak of invisibility for us dark chocolate girls. You gave me permission to dream….because it was only in my dreams that I could see the possibilities in myself.”

Click inside to read the rest of Viola Davis’ tribute for Cicely Tyson…

Viola concluded her tribute, “I’m not ready for you to be my angel yet. But…I also understand that it’s only when the last person who has a memory of you dies, that you’ll truly be dead. In that case, you will be immortal. Thank you for shifting my life. Thank you for the long talks. Thank you for loving me. Rest well 💔💔💔.”

Read what other celebs are saying in their tributes for the late actress.