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David Harewood, Sharon D Clarke and Josette Bushell-Mingo pay tribute to the pioneering star who has died aged 91‘Remarkable, revelatory, inspiring’: Yvonne Brewster on Mona HammondIt is often said that those of us who succeed do so because we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before. But what is not so often said is that many of those pioneers were giants. Mona Hammond was such a giant. I’ve lost count of the amount of times this diminutive powerhouse played my mother. Each time we came together was a joy, her sense of humour often surprising me and her wisdom a welcome balm. Always so encouraging, she seemed genuinely delighted to have me around. Mona had a calming presence and the sweetest voice you could imagine, one that carried with it a fierceness that could turn any minute from joy to reprimand while making me laugh – a rare quality that she alone possessed. Continue reading...