Diahann Carroll Leaves behind Suzanne Kay, Her Talented Daughter Who Is a Writer & Producer

Publish date: 2024-05-18

Diahann Carroll passed away last week, but the legacy of the iconic actress lives on in her only daughter, Suzanne Kay, a journalist, writer, and producer.

Diahann was married four times, but it was only her first marriage to the late Monte Kay that produced a child.

Diahann Carroll & Suzanne Kay at the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Funds annual dinner on Nov. 7, 2005 in New York City | Photo: Getty Images

Growing up with a screen goddess for a mom and a record producer/agent made Suzanne comfortable with the world of entertainment. She was born on September 9, 1960, and watched Diahann take on history-making roles in productions like "Julia" and "Dynasty."

Still To Come: The duo reportedly loved it so much in the African city that they decided to move there

According to the bio on her personal website, Suzanne graduated from Columbia School of Journalism and went on to work as a news writer for CNN.

She also worked on PBS' McNeil Lehrer Report before becoming an Arts and Entertainment editor for Essence Magazine. Per Inquisitr, Suzanne worked alongside Julie Moran and Greg Kinnear as an on-air personality with ETV! and also as a screenwriter for Fox sitcoms.

With her ex-husband Mark Bamford, Suzanne co-wrote a short film "Hero" and created a production company named Wonder View Films.

Suzanne and Mark, according to the outlet, were married from 1996 to 2016 when they divorced. The couple share son August and daughter Sydney, who, judging by posts on Suzanne’s Instagram page, appear to be in their teens.

According to Afrocentric News, the success of "Hero" led Suzanne and Mark on a world tour of film premieres and festivals that saw them visiting Cape Town in South Africa.

The duo reportedly loved it so much in the African city that they decided to move there, volunteering and writing their first feature film "Cape of Good Hope."

According to Suzanne’s site, "Cape of Good Hope" clinched numerous Best Film awards and nominations, including Honorable Mention for the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, National Board of Review, and NAACP Image Awards.

Diahann Carroll at the American Black Film Festival Honors on Feb. 17, 2017 in California | Photo: Getty Images

More recently, Suzanne started work as a writing consultant for Sankofa.org, a social justice organization owned by Harry Belafonte.

On Friday, October 4, Suzanne confirmed her mother’s death at 84 after a long battle with cancer. Diahann is best known for being the first African American woman to star in a primetime TV series – "Julia" – in a non-servant role.

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