Cleo Sylvestre was the first black actress to gain a main role at the National Theatre, and she also recorded with The Rolling Stones. Sylvestre is known for her roles in a number of films and television shows, including Crossroads, Grange Hill, and Paddington.
Cleo Sylvestre, an actress who was known for her “trailblazing” performances in films, soap operas, and stage plays, passed away at the age of 79, according to her agent.
The actress Sylvestre, who was also known by the name Cleopatra Palmer, made appearances in a wide variety of plays, including Crossroads, Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and the first Paddington movie.
“It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sad news that Cleo Sylvestre MBE passed away this morning,” stated a spokeswoman for Fulcrum Talent. “It is with deep regret that I have.”
“She will be remembered as a pioneer and a genuine friend, receiving a great deal of affection and admiration from her contemporaries. There are a lot of people who will miss her dearly.
In addition to being a vocalist, Sylvestre was also a member of The Rolling Stones, with whom she collaborated on a cover of the song “To Know Him Is In Love With Him” in 1964. In later years, she was a member of the blues band Honey B Mama And Friends, where she worked as a musician.
Her mother, Laureen Sylvestre, raised her up in London, where she attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. She was born in Hertfordshire in April 1945, but she spent her childhood in London.
During her marriage to Ian Palmer, which lasted until his passing in 1995, she was awarded the MBE in 2023 for her contributions to the field of drama and philanthropy.
During the 1970s, Sylvestre played Melanie Harper, the adoptive daughter of Meg Richardson, in the long-running and popular television show Crossroads, which was broadcast on ITV. Sylvestre enjoyed parts in some of the most well-known shows on television.
The Bill, New Tricks, Till Death Do Us Part, Grange Hill, Doctor Who, and Coronation Street were some of the other titles in which he appeared on television.