LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥 Angela Bassett has a presence that feels warm and inviting but also demands your respect. The actor moves like true Hollywood royalty, knowing her worth, dedicated to her craft and remaining confident yet humble throughout a decades-spanning, award-winning career.
On a Tuesday in January, Bassett would wake up just before 3:45 a.m., unable to fall back asleep. In just two hours, she would hear Riz Ahmed as a for her performance as Queen Ramonda in
Bassett remembers turning to wake up her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance ("I couldn鈥檛 experience that alone and then tell him about it later," she said), and immediately receiving a text from fellow Oscar nominee and
鈥淚t was the first nomination and the first name," she recalled. 鈥淚 gasped, and that was a shock, that sort of 鈥榃hoa! Already? You know, give a girl a minute.鈥欌
Carter and Bassett have worked together at least five times on various projects and are longtime friends.
鈥淚 was glad to be there for her,鈥 Bassett said of the 鈥渂rilliant and undeniable鈥 Carter, who won an Oscar in 2019 for the first 鈥淏lack Panther鈥 movie.
Carter shared the same sentiment about Bassett, saying she鈥檚 beyond happy to see her friend celebrated on such a large scale.
鈥淲ell, I am beyond happy for her. I remember when I received the Oscar. She came right up, and she was so full of joy and happiness for me," said Carter at the African American Film Critics Association Awards on March 1.
鈥淎nd I feel the same way for her," Carter continued. 鈥淗aving seen her journey for over 25 years and having had started with her on 鈥榃hat鈥檚 Love Got to Do with It鈥 and how committed she is to her craft, I think that she is due for her flowers, and I鈥檓 so excited to be here with her to witness it and share in the love.鈥
As Queen Ramonda, Bassett played the mother of Chadwick Boseman鈥檚 T鈥檆halla. She called working with him the 鈥渉ighlight of her career.鈥 She also made history as her Oscar nomination is
鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely thrilled about it. I didn鈥檛 know that 鈥 that was something that I learned just a couple of weeks ago," Bassett said at 鈥淪o, you know, firsts are always nice and hopefully it鈥檚 the first of many more.鈥
Bassett has appeared in cult classic and tentpole films alike, including the late John Singleton鈥檚 鈥淏oyz N the Hood鈥 and Forest Whitaker's 鈥淲aiting to Exhale.鈥
While attending the Santa Barbara Film Festival earlier this year, Bassett said that her time as Katherine Jackson in the 1992 series 鈥淭he Jacksons: An American Dream鈥 prepared her to portray Tina Turner. Her turn as the singer in 鈥淲hat's Love Got to Do With It鈥 netted the actor her first Oscar nomination, for best actress.
Nearly 30 years later, Bassett has been engulfed in a whirlwind of award shows and press junkets in preparation for the Oscars. Bassett says she鈥檚 鈥渉olding on鈥 amid the quick pace of awards season and has a sound machine that lulls her 鈥渙ff to peaceful dreams鈥 as she crosses the town from one red carpet to the next.
Earlier this year, she for best supporting actress. She鈥檚 also become a viral meme thanks to Ariana DeBose proclaiming that 鈥淎ngela Bassett did the thing!鈥 in a BAFTA performance. Bassett also recently for Entertainer of the Year.
While Bassett is excited about her Oscar nomination, she acknowledges the Academy鈥檚 failure to include more artists of color and women in their list of nominees. She advises that Academy members should expand their frame of reference when considering films and performances.
鈥淏ut I would say first and foremost, see an array of movies. Whether you think you can relate to it or not, or it looks like you or not, or the stories seem intriguing or not, give all a chance because it鈥檚 鈥 well, it鈥檚 easy, and it鈥檚 possible to miss very, very fine performances," Bassett told the AP. "But frame of reference is everything. So, have a wide and open frame of reference.鈥
As March 12 approaches, Bassett's supporters wait to see if this is the year that she becomes forever known as Academy Award-winning actor Angela Bassett. But where would she display her Oscar
鈥淵ou know, something like that looks good anywhere," Bassett said. "Maybe it鈥檒l have to take a little tour, see where it wants to land. Right in my hand, near my heart.鈥
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