Zoe Caldwell, widely known for her work in Master Class and Medea, died on February 16 of complications due to Parkinson’s disease. She was 86 years old.
Caldwell joined AGMA in 2004, when she was cast as a lead in the Los Angeles Opera presentation of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. She remained a member until her death.
According to People Magazine, she moved from her home in Australia to London in 1959 to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. She began her American acting career as an original member of the company at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.
Caldwell made her Broadway debut in 1965’s The Devils. She went on to appear in Tennessee Williams’ Slapstick Tragedy the following year — resulting in a Tony Award for best featured actress in a play.
Over her career, she would go on to win a total of four Tony Awards; a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress; an Outer Critics’ Choice Award for Outstanding Lead Actress; a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Actress; and a Drama Desk award for Outstanding Performance.
Caldwell’s appeared in a number of television, theatre, and film productions. She lent her voice to the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch, as well as the subsequent sequel, tv show series, video game, and amusement park ride at Disney World. Her last acting credit was the grandmother in the 2011 film Extremely Loud and Dangerously Close.