{{short description|American actress}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = Dr | name = Tonea Stewart |honorific_suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|2|3}} | birth_place = [[Greenwood, Mississippi]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | monuments = | other_names = Tommie Stewart | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = {{ubl|[[Jackson State University]]|{{nowrap|[[University of California, Santa Barbara]]}}|[[Florida State University]]}} | occupation = Actress/professor | years_active = 1976–present | employer = [[Alabama State University]] | organization = | agent = | known_for = | television = ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'' | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = {{nowrap|Hattie Juanita and Thomas Harris}} | awards = | website = <!-- {{URL|Example.com}} --> | footnotes = }}
'''Tonea Stewart''' (born February 3, 1947),<ref name="mccann"/> also '''Tommie Stewart''', is an American actress and university professor. She is the former [[dean (academic)|dean]] of the College of Visual and Performing Arts of [[Alabama State University]] in [[Montgomery, Alabama]].<ref name=ma>Catherine Bullock (February 12, 2016). [http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2016/02/12/asu-dean-honored-mississippi-governors-arts-award/80294436/ ASU Dean honored with Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award]. ''Montgomery Advertiser''. Accessed January 2018.</ref>
She had a recurring role as Aunt Etta Kibby in the American television series ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'',<ref name=ma/> and is an [[NAACP Image Award]] nominee for acting in film ''[[A Time to Kill (1996 film)|A Time to Kill]]''.
From the beginning of her acting career until 2019, Stewart concurrently worked as an actress and educator; she did not act full time until her retirement from teaching.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hane|first=Bobb|date=August 17, 2007|title=District's opening summit speaker calls to mind the strength, wisdom of our grandmothers, urges teachers to find it|page=3|newspaper=The Herald Independent}}</ref><ref name="barker"/>
== Early life and education ==
Stewart was born in [[Greenwood, Mississippi|Greenwood]], [[Mississippi]],<ref name="jsu"/> the daughter of Hattie (née Leonard) and Thomas Harris.<ref name="mccann"/> Her father worked as an electrician and plumber, while Stewart's mother was an educator.<ref name="jsu"/> They would divorce when Stewart was 4 years old.<ref name="jsu"/> Her sister, Beverly Branson, is a singer, and the two have performed together on stage.<ref>{{cite news|title=2 sisters stage 'Four Women'|last=Daniel|first=Clifton|date=December 15, 1994|page=D1|newspaper=[[Star-News]]|author-link=Clifton Truman Daniel}}</ref>
Her original intention was to become a doctor, and she studied biology at [[Jackson State University]]. However, after acting in a school production, Stewart changed her major to theater.<ref name="jsu"/> She earned a [[Bachelor of Science|BS]] degree in speech and theater at Jackson, and then studied theater at the [[University of California at Santa Barbara]]. In 1989, Stewart received a [[PhD]] in theater arts from [[Florida State University]].<ref name=ma/>
==Acting career== Stewart's first performance on screen was in TV movie ''[[Nightmare in Badham County]]'' (1976).<ref>{{cite news|date=February 19, 1993|title='Informance' to feature noted actress Stewart|page=8B|newspaper=[[Times Daily]]}}</ref> She appeared as Mrs. Walker in film ''[[Mississippi Burning]]'' (1988).<ref name="mccann"/> From 1991 to 1993, Stewart played Aunt Etta Kibby on ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Coakley|first=Deirdre|date=January 31, 1992|title=Black heritage tribute|page=C1|newspaper=[[Gadsden Times]]}}</ref> On the series, she had previously portrayed a different character, and returned under this new role as producers were impressed with her performance.<ref>{{cite news|last=Franks|first=Randall|date=January 1, 2003|title='Aunt Etta' still sharing her wisdom|page=4A|newspaper=Calhoun Times|author-link=Randall Franks}}</ref> Stewart acted in the feature films ''[[Body Snatchers (1993 film)|Body Snatchers]]'',<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kczcgHtgGfYC&dq=%22Tonea+Stewart%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA63|page=63|title=Frame by Frame II: A Filmography of the African American Image, 1978-1994|last1=Rauch Klotman|first1=Phyllis|last2=Gibson|first2=Gloria J.|date=1997|publisher=[[Indiana University Press]]|isbn=9780253211200}}</ref> ''[[Livin' Large]]'',<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dudIfQtcfGgC&dq=%22Tonea+Stewart%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA168|page=168|title=Screen World 1992|last=Willis|first=John|author-link=John A. Willis|date=May 1993|publisher=Applause Theatre & Cinema Book Publishers|isbn=9781557831354 }}</ref> ''[[Mississippi Damned]]'' and ''[[Girls Trip]]''.<ref name="barker"/>
She has made guest appearances on television series ''[[Matlock (1986 TV series)|Matlock]]'', ''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'',<ref>{{cite news|date=July 12, 1997|title=Stewart is making it on her own terms|url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INR19970712-01.1.7&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22tonea+stewart%22------|page=B1|newspaper=[[Indianapolis Recorder]]}}</ref> ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'' and ''[[Touched by an Angel]]''.<ref name="mccann">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7ZYsnTPIhwC&dq=%22Tonea+Stewart%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA314|page=314|title=Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television|last=McCann|first=Bob|date=October 30, 2009|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|isbn=9780786458042}}</ref> She played Gwen Hailey, the wife of [[Samuel L. Jackson]]'s character, in ''[[A Time to Kill (1996 film)|A Time to Kill]]'' (1996).<ref>{{cite news|last=Gaul|first=Lou|date=July 26, 1996|title='A Time to Kill' stirs emotions, forces thought|page=6|newspaper=[[The Beaver County Times]]}}</ref> Stewart received an [[NAACP Image Award]] nomination for her work in this film.<ref name="barker"/> In ''[[Come Sunday (film)|Come Sunday]]'' (2018), she portrayed the mother of Pentecostal bishop [[Carlton Pearson]].<ref name="jsu">{{cite web|url=http://www.jsumsnews.com/?p=35232|title=JSU alum, actor Tonea Stewart talks growing up in 'The Sip' and role in new Netflix biopic|date=April 17, 2018|website=[[Jackson State University]]|access-date=October 27, 2022}}</ref>
The majority of Stewart's work has been in television films.<ref name="mccann"/> She acted in ''[[I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (film)|I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings]]'', ''[[Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige]]'' (portraying the mother of [[Satchel Paige]])<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ilzBgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Tommie+Stewart%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA116|page=146|title=The Baseball Filmography, 1915 Through 2001|edition=2nd|date=March 23, 2016|last=Erickson|first=Hal|author-link=Hal Erickson (author)|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|isbn=9781476607856}}</ref> and ''[[The Rosa Parks Story]]'', where she appeared as [[Johnnie Carr]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Cobb|first=Mark Hughes|date=March 12, 2002|title=Actress, educator to perform for fund-raiser|page=D1|newspaper=[[The Tuscaloosa News]]}}</ref> In 1994, Stewart appeared in the TV movies ''[[One Christmas]]'' as Evangeline<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_EmVcJIkyHQC&dq=%22Tonea+Stewart%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA249|page=249|title=Katharine Hepburn: Star as Feminist|last=Britton|first=Andrew|date=2003|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|isbn=9780231132770}}</ref> and ''A Passion for Justice: The [[Hazel Brannon Smith]] Story'' as Henrietta.<ref>{{cite book|page=390|title=Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999|last=Marill|first=Alvin H.|date=2005|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]]}}</ref> She portrayed Memaw, the grandmother of Halle Downing, in the [[Oprah Winfrey Network]] movie ''First Christmas''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/own-holiday-movies-vivica-f-fox-jackee-harry-lamman-rucker-meagan-holder-idara-victor-tonea-stewart-1234612247/|title=OWN Sets Three Holiday Movies Starring Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry, Lamman Rucker, Meagan Holder, Idara Victor, Tonea Stewart|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=November 10, 2020|website=[[Deadline (website)|Deadline]]|access-date=October 27, 2022}}</ref>
==Teaching career== Stewart began teaching in 1971,<ref name="barker">{{cite web|url=https://www.amsterdamnews.com/news/2019/06/13/longtime-hbcu-theater-professor-retires/|title=Longtime HBCU theater professor retires|last=Barker|first=Cyril Josh|date=June 13, 2019|website=[[The Amsterdam News]]|access-date=October 27, 2022}}</ref> educating high school students.<ref name="mccann"/> At her alma mater, [[Jackson State University]], she taught speech to her students.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJRzMoyuSdIC&dq=%22Tonea+Stewart%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA114|page=114|title=African Americans of Jackson|last1=Flucker|first1=Turry|last2=Savage|first2=Phoenix|date=2008|publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]]|isbn=9780738553283}}</ref> By 1983, Stewart was assistant professor for the dramatics and speech departments at Jackson.<ref>{{cite news|date=April 3, 1983|title=Actress To Perform In Albany|page=3A|newspaper=[[The Albany Herald]]}}</ref>
Starting in 1990, she was a professor at the College of Visual and Performing Arts for [[Alabama State University]], also chairing the theater department.<ref name="barker"/> Stewart eventually became dean before retiring in 2019 after 48 years in education.<ref name="barker"/> One of her students was [[Stephen Boss]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/video/hoda-kotb-surprises-twitch-former-162729766.html|title=Hoda Kotb Surprises tWitch With Former Theater Coach|last=Hines|first=Ree|date=July 5, 2022|website=[[Yahoo!]]|access-date=October 27, 2022}}</ref>
In 2020, Stewart was appointed by Alabama state governor [[Kay Ivey]] to represent the fifth district of the [[Alabama State Board of Education]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2020/01/governor-ivey-appoints-dr-tommie-stewart-to-state-board-of-education/|title=Governor Ivey Appoints Dr. Tommie Stewart to State Board of Education|date=January 7, 2020|website=[[Governor of Alabama]]|access-date=October 27, 2022}}</ref>
==Personal life== She is married to Allen Stewart, with whom she has three children.<ref name="mccann"/>
==Filmography== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2018}}
===Television=== '''Guest Starring Roles''' *''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'' "Rise to the Occasion" (1999) as Principal Rivers *''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'' "The Trial of LaRue" (1997) as Judge Loretta Paxton *''[[Memphis Beat]]'' "I Want to be Free" as Miss Angelina *''[[Matlock (1986 TV series)|Matlock]]'' "The Juror" (1993) as Henrietta Dorsey *''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'' (198?) as Ms. Gray in Season 2 episode "Prisoners" as Ms. Gray, the mother of slain prison victim, Eric Gray. *''[[American Horror Story: Coven]]'' (2013) as [[Cora (American Horror Story)|Cora]]
'''Starring Roles''' *''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'' (1988) as Aunt Etta (Virgil's widowed maternal aunt Etta Kibbee. She resides with Virgil and Althea Tibbs and is caretaker of their twins, William Calvin and Sarah Ruth. (Seasons 4–7) Prior to her role as Kibbee, Stewart also appeared on the Season 2 episode "Prisoners" as Ms. Gray, the mother of slain prison victim, Eric Gray.
===Film=== *''[[Same Kind of Different as Me (film)|Same Kind of Different as Me]]'' (2017) as Big Mama *''[[Girls Trip]]'' (2017) as Aunt Marian *''[[The Hollars]]'' (2015) as Latisha *''[[Mississippi Damned]]'' (2009) as Alice *''[[A Time to Kill (1996 film)|A Time to Kill]]'' (1996) as Gwen Hailey *[[Body Snatchers (1993 film)|Body Snatchers]] (1993) as teacher *''[[Mississippi Burning]]'' (1988) as Mrs. Walker *''[[I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (film)|I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings]]'' (1979) as Lillie (credited as Tommie Stewart) *''[[Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry#TV adaptation|Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry]]'' (1978) as Mrs. Avery (credited as Tommie Stewart) *''[[Nightmare in Badham County]]'' (1976) – Alma (credited as Tommie Stewart)
==References== {{Reflist|2}} __NOTOC__ {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Tonea}} [[Category:1947 births]] [[Category:American film actresses]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:Florida State University alumni]] [[Category:Actresses from Mississippi]] [[Category:Jackson State University faculty]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century American actresses]] [[Category:21st-century American actresses]] [[Category:Alabama State University faculty]] [[Category:American women academics]]