In Memoriam : Dorothy Steel, actress in ‘Black Panther,’ dies at 95

Dorothy Steel, an actress who appeared in Black Panther as a tribe elder, has died. She was 95 years old.

Steel’s agent Cindy Butler shared the news via an announcement on Facebook, writing that Steel died Friday (Oct 15) morning at her home in Detroit.

“It’s with a Heavy heart I announce this morning Dorothy Steel transitioned this morning in her hometown of Detroit. That is what she wanted to be home,” Butler wrote.

“Thank you Ms. Dorothy for giving me the opportunity to ride this wave with you,” Butler added.

Dorothy Steel In Black Panther

Dorothy Steel played the role of Merchant Tribe Elder in Black Panther.

“If anyone would have told me I would be an actor, I would’ve said you got to be out of your mind,” Steel told Atlanta’s WSB-TV Channel 2 in 2018.

Dorothy Steel In Black Panther/Matt Kennedy

In 2018, Steel went viral on social media and met Steve Harvey. Harvey had her to be his special guest on his daytime talk show.

Never Too Late

Born in 1926, Steel started pursuing acting when she was 88 years old.

The actress kickstarted her Hollywood career in 2015, with a guest-starring role in an episode of YouTube series, The Trouble with Going Somewhere.

As she grew older, she acquired many different roles in Film, TV and  Commercials.

She had roles in Daisy Winters, POMS, Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses, Emperor, The  Oval, Jumanji: The Next Level. She recurred in Saints and Sinners/Bounce TV as Mother Harris just to name a few.

According to Butler, Dorothy Steel was signed with iSUBMIT TALENT AGENCY for six years.

“Thank you for all the Casting Directors who hired Ms. Dorothy. Thank you to the world for loving on her from afar. I received calls from all over the world wanting to interview or do a Bio pic of her life. She was very select.”

Butler’s statement concluded,”Per Ms. Dorothy, she told me to tell everyone that arrangements and flowers where to send will be posted via facebook. She was still telling me what to do. That was my Ms.Dorothy………….WAKANDAFOREVER.