Oprah, Viola Davis and many more celebrities mourn passing of Cicely Tyson

Award-winning actress Cicely Tyson, known for her strong black woman roles in the span of her 60-year career, passed away on Thursday.

Many celebrities mourned of the Hollywood icon's passing, and expressed their grief on social media.

Viola Davis, who played as Tyson's on-screen daughter in "How to Get Away With Murder," wrote a heartbreaking tribute and said, "I'm devastated. My heart is just broken. 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. 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," the actress added.

Actress Zendaya meanwhile tweeted, "This one hurts."

She thanked Tyson and honored her as "one of the greatest to ever do it."

Sharing a clip of when she interviewed Tyson on Twitter, renowned host Oprah said, "@IAmCicelyTyson's iconic beauty may have gotten her noticed at a young age, but it’s her talent that made her the living legend she is. And she’s finally telling her story. I read her memoir #JustAsIAm and now fully understand why she is such a treasure. What a life!"

"Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" Producer Shonda Rhimes also expressed the loss she felt. "She was an extraordinary person. And this is an extraordinary loss. She had so much to teach. And I still have so much to learn. I am grateful for every moment.  Her power and grace will be with us forever."

Meanwhile, scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson shared that although they weren't related, he found himself connected to her through the friendship their families made.

"Though we are not related, her mother was friends with my grandmother in the West Indies, with strongly resonant struggles and triumphs," he said. "Farewell to a force of nature unto herself — in person, on stage, and on the screen.  Cicely Tyson, RIP (1924-2021)."

Tyson passed away at the age of 96. No cause of death was given.

She had released her memoir "Just As I Am" just this week.

Known for her roles in the "Sounder"  (1972), "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" (1974), and "The Trip to Bountiful" (1985), she also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom given by former President Barack Obama in 2016. —Kaela Malig/JCB, GMA News