Highlights
Moving from the New York stage, Gloria Foster started to do roles on the big screen. She was in many theatrical performances and also performed some roles on television.
The Cool World (1964)- This was Gloria Foster’s first appearance on a full-length feature film. She played Mrs. Custis. It was on the set of this film that she starred next to her future husband, Clarence Williams III.
Nothing But a Man (1964)- Gloria Foster plays a woman named Lee, who lives with the main character’s (Duff Anderson) father.
She was also active in television, appearing in such programs as I Spy, two episodes of Law & Order and The Cosby Show (1987).
Her character in both Law and Order episodes was based on the widow of Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz. The first episode was based on Malcolm X's assassination, Malcolm X played by Hal Miller, while the second focused on her character's children's acts of revenge against those who they thought were really responsible.
She returned to theater again in 1995, acting alongside Mary Alice (who was later to replace her in The Matrix films following her death), appearing as 103-year-old Sadie Delany, in Having Our Say, on Broadway at the Booth Theatre, for which she received rave reviews.
The Matrix (1999)- Gloria Foster played the Oracle. The Oracle helps Neo find out if he is “the one”. Because the movie did so well, this role was very important to Gloria Foster’s career.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)- Gloria Foster continued to act the role of the Oracle, but unfortunately died during the filming and Mary Alice continued the role in The Matrix Revolutions and Enter the Matrix.
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