Suzzanne Douglas, an actress who enjoyed four decades of robust television work, has died at the age of 64 of unknown causes. Entertainment Weekly reports that remembrances of Douglas have been posted to Facebook by a cousin and a good friend, which served as confirmation of her passing. “I got to stand beside greatness,” wrote the friend. “I’ve got a heavy heart, but I’m blessed to be a part of the legacy you touched. I am better because I knew you. Heaven is richer.” A presence in the industry since the ’80s, Douglas is perhaps best known for her role in the ’90s WB sitcom The Parent ’Hood, in which she portrayed a working law-student matriarch for five seasons. She also had prominent roles in shows such as Against the Law, Touched by an Angel, Promised Land, and The Parkers; her final role came in 2019, when she starred in Ava DuVernay’s Central Park jogger-case miniseries, When They See Us. In a statement on Twitter, DuVernay remembered Douglas as a “quiet, elegant force” while filming. “A gentlewoman. A gem of a lady. A confident, caring actor who breathed life into the words and made them shimmer,” she added. “I’m grateful that our paths in this life crossed. May she journey on in peace and love.” Douglas is survived by her husband and her daughter.
