Dorothy Steel (actress)

{{Short description|American film and television actress (1926–2021)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Dorothy Steel

| image = Publicity_Photo_of_Dorothy_Steel.jpg

| caption = Publicity Photo of Dorothy Steel

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|02|23}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|10|15|1926|02|23}}

| death_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

| occupation = Film and television actress

| years_active = 2014–2021

}}

Dorothy Steel (February 23, 1926 – October 15, 2021) was an American actress. Having started her career at the age of 88, she played minor characters in several high-profile films including Black Panther, Poms, Jumanji: The Next Level, and her final film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.[https://news.yahoo.com/dorothy-steel-black-panther-actress-183000275.html "Dorothy Steel, Black Panther Actress Who Began Acting at 88, Dead at 95"], yahoo.com; accessed October 18, 2021.[https://dnbstories.com/2018/03/how-92-year-old-dorothy-steel-landed-black-panther-role.html "How 92-year-old Dorothy Steel landed a role in Black Panther"], dnbstories.com; accessed October 18, 2021.

Life and career

Born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 23, 1926,{{cite news|last=Grobar|first=Matt|date=October 16, 2021|title=Dorothy Steel Dies: 'Black Panther' Actress Who Launched Screen Career As Octogenarian Was 95|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/dorothy-steel-dead-black-panther-actress-was-95-1234857062/|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en-US}} she lived in Atlanta, Georgia for many years.[https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/95-year-old-actress-who-played-tribal-elder-black-panther-dies/MJO6K6ODERFO5OJPWXJHFJLUBM/ 95-year-old actress who played tribal elder in ‘Black Panther’ dies], wsbtv.com; accessed October 18, 2021. She worked for many years as a senior revenue officer for the Internal Revenue Service, retiring from the service on December 7, 1984.{{Cite news |last=Sooong |first=Kelyn |date=March 23, 2018 |title=She started acting at 88. Four years later, she's recognized everywhere for 'Black Panther.' |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2018/03/23/she-started-acting-at-88-four-years-later-shes-recognized-everywhere-for-black-panther/ |access-date=2022-04-29 |issn=0190-8286}} After living in the United States Virgin Islands for 20 years, Steel relocated to Atlanta to live closer to her son and grandson. By 2014, Steel began acting in community theater at the Frank Bailey Senior Center in Riverdale,{{Cite news |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |date=2021-10-22 |title=Dorothy Steel, Whose Big-Screen Career Had a Late Start, Dies at 95 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/22/movies/dorothy-steel-dead.html |access-date=2022-04-29 |issn=0362-4331}} and soon began to receive roles in locally-made films. Steel died at her home in her native Detroit on October 15, 2021, at the age of 95.{{cite news|last=Beresford|first=Trilby|date=October 16, 2021|title=Dorothy Steel, Actress in 'Black Panther,' Dies at 95|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dorothy-steel-dead-black-panther-actress-dies-at-95-1235032428/|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Black Panther Actress Dorothy Steel Dead at 95: 'She Went Out Strong' |url=https://people.com/movies/black-panther-actress-dorothy-steel-dead-at-95/ |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}

Filmography

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

2015

|The Trouble with Going Somewhere

|Mrs. Williams{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Rasha |date=October 19, 2021 |title=Lupita Nyong'o pays tribute to 'wildly witty' Dorothy Steel, 'Black Panther' star who died at 95 |work=USA Today (Online); Arlington [Arlington] |via=ProQuest}}

|episode: "Paranoia All Over You"

2016

|Black Majick

|Ms. Mattie

|short film

2016

|The Refuge

|Martha

|short film

2016

|Merry Christmas, Baby

|Older Woman