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Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...
in the biopic '' What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year ...
. She went on to star in numerous acclaimed and successful films, including as
Betty Shabazz Betty Shabazz (born Betty Dean Sanders; May 28, 1934/1936 – June 23, 1997), also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate. She was married to Malcolm X. Shabazz grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where her foste ...
in both '' Malcolm X'' (1992) and ''
Panther Panther may refer to: Large cats * Pantherinae, the cat subfamily that contains the genera ''Panthera'' and ''Neofelis'' **'' Panthera'', the cat genus that contains tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards. *** Jaguar (''Panthera onca''), found in S ...
'' (1995), as Katherine Jackson in '' The Jacksons: An American Dream'' (1992), as Voletta Wallace in '' Notorious'' (2009), as Amanda Waller in '' Green Lantern'' (2011), and as Coretta Scott King in ''
Betty & Coretta ''Betty & Coretta'' is a 2013 American drama film directed by Yves Simoneau and written by Shem Bitterman and Ron Hutchinson. The film stars Mary J. Blige, Angela Bassett, Gloria Reuben, Malik Yoba, Tyler Hynes and Benz Antoine. The film premie ...
'' (2013). Her other notable film roles include Bernandine Harris in '' Waiting to Exhale'' (1995), Rachel Constantine in ''
Contact Contact may refer to: Interaction Physical interaction * Contact (geology), a common geological feature * Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye * Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects * C ...
'' (1997), Stella Payne in '' How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' (1998), Janet Williams in '' Music of the Heart'' (1999), Lynne Jacobs in '' Olympus Has Fallen'' (2013) and ''
London Has Fallen ''London Has Fallen'' is a 2016 American action thriller film directed by Babak Najafi and written by Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, Chad St. John and Christian Gudegast. It is the second installment in the ''Has Fallen'' film series, ...
'' (2016), and Queen Ramonda in '' Black Panther'' (2018), '' Avengers: Endgame'' (2019), and '' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' (2022). On television, Bassett's portrayal of Rosa Parks in the television film ''
The Rosa Parks Story ''The Rosa Parks Story'' is a 2002 American television movie written by Paris Qualles and directed by Julie Dash. Angela Bassett portrays Rosa Parks, with Cicely Tyson in a supporting role as her mother. It was broadcast by CBS on February 24, 20 ...
'' (2002), garnered her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. In 2013, Bassett had a recurring role on the FX horror anthology series '' American Horror Story: Coven'', earning a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. She returned as a series regular for ''
Freak Show A freak show, also known as a creep show, is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to in popular culture as "freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or small, those with ...
'', the series' fourth season, portraying Desiree Dupree, for which she received another Primetime Emmy Award nomination. For the fifth season, ''
Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
'', she portrayed Ramona Royale, a famous movie star. Bassett returned to the series's sixth season, '' Roanoke'', portraying an alcoholic actress named Monet Tumusiime, who plays struggling mother and former police officer Lee Harris in the ''My Roanoke Nightmare'' documentary, and she reprised her role as Marie Laveau in a guest role in the eighth season '' Apocalypse''. In 2018, Bassett began producing and starring in the Fox first responder drama series '' 9-1-1'', playing LAPD patrol sergeant Athena Grant.


Early life and education

Bassett was born in New York City, the daughter of a social worker Betty Jane (née Gilbert), a civil servant, and Daniel Benjamin Bassett, a preacher's son. Bassett's middle name was given to her in honor of her aunt Evelyn. Ten months after Bassett was born, her mother became pregnant and had a second child, Bassett's sister D'nette. Bassett said the pregnancy "only made things harder", leading her parents to send her to her father's sister, Golden, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. While her aunt did not have any children of her own, she "loved children, and she was good with them."Bassett, Angela (2009), pp. 12–13. At the age of four, Bassett was picked up by her mother after her parents divorced, and then relocated with her sister to St. Petersburg, Florida. Bassett did not see her father again for several years, until she attended her grandmother's funeral. There, Bassett met her father's daughter from his first marriage, Jean, who at twelve years old, was several years older than Bassett. After graduating from Jordan Park Elementary School, she began being bussed out of her neighborhood to attend Disston Middle School for seventh grade. The year she began attending was 1970, one year before the first year that busing was implemented to integrate public schools in St. Petersburg. After completing seventh grade, she was bused to Azalea Middle School for eighth and ninth grade. Bassett's mother became more involved in her daughter's grades and told her and her sister the pair were going to college. In her younger years, Bassett was "in love" with the Jackson 5 and dreamed of marrying a member of the family group, stating it would probably be "whoever had the cutest, roundest Afro at the time. In my imagination we would have children and live in a real house."Bassett, Angela (2009), pp. 18–19. As her interest in entertainment developed, Angela and her sister would often put on shows, reading poems or performing popular music for their family. At
Boca Ciega High School Boca Ciega High School (BCHS), commonly referred to as Bogie by students, staff, and county residents, is an American four-year public high school in Gulfport, Florida, just south of the St. Petersburg city line, and is part of the Pinellas County ...
, Bassett was a cheerleader and a member of the Upward Bound college prep program, the debate team, student government, drama club and choir. An "A" and "B" student for the most part, Bassett got her first "C" in physical education, and tried to convince her mother not to be disappointed by the grade. Bassett called the grade the "average," leading her mother to say she did not have "average kids." As Bassett described, a "sense of pride" developed in her and she did not get another "C" until college. During high school, Bassett became the first African-American from Boca Ciega to be admitted to the National Honor Society. She participated in Upward Bound, an academic and cultural enrichment program for underprivileged students. Bassett says she and the other participants did not see themselves as underprivileged.Bassett, Angela (2009), pp. 29–31. Bassett attended
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...
and received her B.A. degree in African-American studies in 1980. In 1983, she earned an M.F.A. degree from the Yale School of Drama, despite opposition from her paternal aunt who warned her to not "waste" her "Yale education on theater." She was the only member of Bassett's family to have gone to both college and graduate school. At Yale, Bassett met her future husband
Courtney B. Vance Courtney Bernard Vance (born March 12, 1960) is an American actor. Known for his commanding presence Vance started his career on stage before transitioning his career into film and television. He's received various accolades including a Tony Awa ...
, a 1986 graduate of the drama school. Bassett was also classmates with actor Charles S. Dutton. After graduation, Bassett worked as a receptionist for a beauty salon and as a photo researcher. Bassett soon looked for acting work in the New York theater. One of her first New York performances came in 1985 when she appeared in J. E. Franklin's ''Black Girl'' at Second Stage Theatre. She appeared in two August Wilson plays at the Yale Repertory Theatre under the direction of her long-time instructor Lloyd Richards. The Wilson plays featuring Bassett were '' Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' (1984) and ''
Joe Turner's Come and Gone ''Joe Turner's Come and Gone'' is a play by American playwright August Wilson. It is the second installment of his decade-by-decade chronicle of the African-American experience, ''The Pittsburgh Cycle''. The play was first staged 1984 at the Euge ...
'' (1986). In 2006, she had the opportunity to work on the Wilson canon again, starring in ''
Fences A fence is a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary. Fence or fences may also refer to: Entertainment Music * Fences (band), an Amer ...
'' alongside longtime collaborator Laurence Fishburne at the Pasadena Playhouse in California. In 2018, Bassett was awarded an honorary D.F.A. degree from her alma mater, Yale University.


Career


Early work

In 1985, Bassett made her first television appearance, as a prostitute in the made-for-TV movie ''Doubletake''. She made her film debut as a news reporter in '' F/X'' (1986), for which she was required to join the
Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to me ...
(SAG)."How Did You Get Your SAG-AFTRA Card?" ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corporat ...
''. January 13, 2014. p. 10.
Bassett moved to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
in 1988 for more acting jobs, with early guest spots on ''
A Man Called Hawk ''A Man Called Hawk'' is an American action drama series, starring Avery Brooks, that ran on ABC from January 28 to May 13, 1989. The series is a spin-off of the crime drama series '' Spenser: For Hire'', and features the character Hawk, who f ...
'' and ''
227 Year 227 ( CCXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Senecio and Fulvius (or, less frequently, year 980 ''Ab urbe condi ...
'' (both 1989).


1990s

Bassett began to gain critical attention and public recognition for her performances in the films ''
Boyz n the Hood ''Boyz n the Hood'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood drama film written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King, and An ...
'' (1991) and '' Malcolm X'' (1992). For her portrayal of
Betty Shabazz Betty Shabazz (born Betty Dean Sanders; May 28, 1934/1936 – June 23, 1997), also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate. She was married to Malcolm X. Shabazz grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where her foste ...
in the latter, she earned an
Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
. Despite the award, the movie was not entirely given positive reception, being referred to by critics as failing to "capture" the rage of Malcolm X's autobiography. During the production of ''Malcolm X'', Spike Lee showed Bassett a tape of the exact moment when Malcolm X was shot during his assassination, since they would be filming the scene. Bassett called the recording "haunting", but noted that after listening, she was "able to grab hold of the pain and re-create the scene." Bassett felt it was important for her to get the assassination scene correct, and wondered how Betty "found the strength to keep going, to raise her family, to educate, to sustain them." Bassett worried that after her role as Betty Shabazz in ''Malcolm X'', she would not find another role "as satisfying". At the time of the film's release, she expressed her belief that her career would never receive such high-profile roles again. "I think I have been incredibly blessed and it is probably just all downhill from here." Bassett subsequently played Katherine Jackson in '' The Jacksons: An American Dream''. Bassett's agents tried to discourage her from playing the role, given the negative publicity surrounding
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
after he was accused of child molestation. She admitted to not caring about the negative view of members of the Jackson family at the time, citing her childhood fondness for the Jackson 5 as an example of her passion for the project and believed her "instinct" about the role had been correct once learning of the positive reviews the miniseries received after airing.Bassett, Angela (2009), pp. 152–153. Bassett had idolized the group growing up and said the Jackson family were positive influences on the African-American community for their successes. Next, Bassett was cast as
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...
in '' What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993). Bassett returned to Los Angeles after ''Malcolm X'' filming was completed, and got a call for an audition for a movie based on '' I, Tina'', Tina Turner's memoir. Bassett won a Golden Globe and earned an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nomination for her portrayal of Turner. She was the first African-American to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Bassett obtained the role after beating Halle Berry and Robin Givens, but only had a month to prepare before filming began. She met Tina Turner twice, and was given advice by the woman she would be portraying from wigs and outfits to dancing styles. Turner also did Bassett's make up, leading Bassett to call her "supportive" and her "biggest fan." Bassett described to the ''
Orlando Sentinel The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company. The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...
'' going to one of Turner's concerts and crying profusely. According to Bassett, upon realizing that she knew some of Turner's dance moves, she was "almost a river of tears." Marc Bernardin of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' wrote that Bassett "gave the performance of a lifetime" portraying Turner in the biopic. However Bassett said on November 4, 2022, on Today with Hoda & Jenna after portraying Turner she "received no calls" for acting for about a year and a half. Bassett starred in three movies in 1995, which were released with varied reactions from critics: '' Vampire in Brooklyn'', '' Strange Days'', and '' Waiting to Exhale'' (where she worked with author Terry McMillan). In ''Strange Days'', Bassett played Lornette "Mace" Mason, a chauffeur and bodyguard. In ''Vampire in Brooklyn'', she played Rita Veder, a tortured cop with a dark secret. She was excited to work with Eddie Murphy in ''Vampire in Brooklyn'', as well as director Wes Craven. Bassett had previously worked with Craven on television shows. Bassett's character in ''Waiting to Exhale'', Bernadine Harris, was betrayed by her husband and in revenge she set fire to his entire wardrobe and vehicle, then sold what was left for one dollar. Bassett described the then-recently filmed party scene and her character in ''Waiting to Exhale'' to the ''Orlando Sentinel''. Bassett said, "The thing is that my character is thinking about how her husband has left her. I have a cigarette in one hand, and I'm drinking. Basically, the four of us are sitting there talking about men and having some fun." In 1997, she starred as the President's advisor in ''
Contact Contact may refer to: Interaction Physical interaction * Contact (geology), a common geological feature * Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye * Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects * C ...
''. Stephen Holden of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' opinioned that Bassett was "largely wasted as a Presidential assistant." In 1998, Fatboy Slim sampled Bassett's voice from 1995's '' Strange Days'', specifically the line ''"this is your life, right here, right now!"'', for his hit single " Right Here, Right Now". Also in 1998, Bassett starred in '' How Stella Got Her Groove Back'', once again collaborating with McMillan. She played Stella, a 40-year-old American professional woman who falls in love with a 20-year-old Jamaican man. She received praise for the performance, Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' calling Bassett's character "the best thing in the movie" and writing that Bassett "portrays this high-strung superwoman with such intensity that she makes her almost believable." In 1999, Bassett starred in '' Music of the Heart'', once again collaborating with horror icon Wes Craven. Matthew Eng wrote of her "terrifically specific chemistry" with Meryl Streep.


2000s

In 2000, Bassett turned down the lead role in '' Monster's Ball'' because of the script's sexual content; the role earned Halle Berry the
Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year ...
. The first film Bassett appeared in that year was ''
Supernova A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or whe ...
'', where she played a medical officer. Her other two films released in 2000 were '' Whispers: An Elephant's Tale'' and '' Boesman and Lena''. Todd McCarthy of '' Variety'' wrote that in ''Boesman and Lena'' Bassett "abandons her recently cultivated glamorous image to dig to the core of Lena's fierce, probing, contentious, compassionate character." Kevin Thomas of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' wrote Bassett captured all of her character's "mercurial mood swings" and both Bassett and her costar
Danny Glover Danny Lebern Glover (; born July 22, 1946) is an American actor, film director, and political activist. He is widely known for his lead role as Roger Murtaugh in the '' Lethal Weapon'' film series. He also had leading roles in his films inclu ...
"rise to the challenge of these larger-than-life roles, just as you would expect." She appeared in the 2001 film '' The Score''. Her character was in a relationship with Robert De Niro's. She read the film's script and became interested. She was then telephoned by director Frank Oz, who told her Robert De Niro would "like to meet with you". Bassett met with De Niro and later realized the conversation was meant to break the ice before they started filming. In addition to ''The Score'', that year she also had a role in the television film ''Ruby's Bucket of Blood''. The following year, in 2002, Bassett acted in '' Sunshine State'' and ''
The Rosa Parks Story ''The Rosa Parks Story'' is a 2002 American television movie written by Paris Qualles and directed by Julie Dash. Angela Bassett portrays Rosa Parks, with Cicely Tyson in a supporting role as her mother. It was broadcast by CBS on February 24, 20 ...
''. In ''The Rosa Parks Story'', Bassett was cast as Rosa Parks. Laura Fries of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' wrote that Bassett "takes her physical strength and turns it inward to portray Parks" and expressed her belief that "lesser hands" would allow for misinterpretation or gross underplay of Parks' personality. In addition to positive reception of her role, Bassett was seen as the "star" of the film due to playing the lead and earned a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her performance. In 2003, she read from the WPA slave narratives in ''
Unchained Memories ''Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives'' is a 2003 American documentary film about the stories of former slaves interviewed during the 1930s as part of the Federal Writers' Project and preserved in the WPA Slave Narrative Colle ...
''. In the 1930s, about 100,000 former slaves were still living during the Great Depression, of which 2,300 were interviewed part of the Federal Writers' Project. The transcripts of the Slave Narratives collection of the Library of Congress is a record of slavery, bondage and misery. That year she also appeared in the film '' Masked and Anonymous'', playing a mistress. Ann Hornaday noted her as among the "endless parade of actors who show up even for the briefest of appearances". In 2004, she had roles in the films '' The Lazarus Child'' and '' Mr. 3000''. ''Mr. 3000'' was a comedy in which Bassett costarred with Bernie Mac. When asked if the film was much easier to act in than the more intense roles she had in the past, Bassett responded, "This was much easier. This was a walk in the park. It was pretty easy compared to some of the roles I've done that call for so much emotion or physicality." At the time of the film's release, she called both Bernie Mac and Laurence Fishburne, who she had worked with in the past, her "favorites" and said the pair were both "highly professional and extraordinarily talented." The only film she appeared in during the following year was '' Mr. and Mrs. Smith'' in an uncredited voice role. In the 2006 film '' Akeelah and the Bee'', Bassett portrayed Tanya Anderson, the mother of the film's lead, Akeelah, played by Keke Palmer. Bassett said she loved the story, viewing the lead character as someone that "could be anyone because each of us have had dreams and aspirations and wanting to be and needing to be supported and directed", and described working with Palmer as being "really wonderful." According to Bassett, the two bonded and that Palmer was as good an actress as any adult she had worked with. Bassett appeared in the television film '' Time Bomb'' the same year. Her role was seen as just an "extended cameo" by Brian Lowry of ''Variety''. Bassett provided her voice for the 2007 film '' Meet the Robinsons''. When asked about her motives in taking on the role, Bassett said, "For one, it was a character I had never played before, which is always important to me, to keep me sharp. But it was also the desire to be part of a well-written movie that has something really positive to say about families and about all the different ways there can be to make a family." She appeared in the 2008 film '' Gospel Hill''. Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' wrote that Bassett's "fiery self-possession brings a spark of passion to her stick-figure character". She next appeared in ''Of Boys and Men'', portraying Rieta Cole, the matriarch of a Chicago family who is killed in an accident in the beginning of the film and is seen through flashbacks for the remainder of the film. She and her costars Robert Townsend and Victoria Rowell were seen by Robert Gillard of ''LA Sentinel'' as doing wonderful jobs of "capturing the emotions of a family stricken by grief." Bassett also had a role in Nothing But the Truth in 2008. Bassett joined the regular cast of '' ER'' for the show's final season (2008–2009). She portrayed Dr. Catherine Banfield, an exacting Chief of the ER who was also working to recover from the death of a son and to bring another child into her family. Bassett's husband Courtney Vance played her television husband on ''ER'' as Russell Banfield. In the 2009 film '' Notorious'', Bassett portrayed Voletta Wallace, the mother of
The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
To portray Wallace's Jamaican accent, Bassett conversed with her on and off the film set, and she practiced her accent using tapes that Wallace made. Bassett said she jumped at the chance to be part of the film after reading the script. She felt it did a "wonderful job of bringing" The Notorious B.I.G.'s "life to the page." Bassett earned positive reviews for her performance in the film, noted as being one of the more experienced actors involved.


2010s

In 2010, Bassett lent her voice to portray First Lady Michelle Obama on an episode of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
'' titled " Stealing First Base". Bassett was seen as a "terrific" fill in for Obama. Bassett was also cast in the superhero film '' Green Lantern'', released in 2011, as notable
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
character Amanda Waller. Bassett said working on the film was "a lot of fun" and that she enjoyed being a part of it. Despite this, Bassett was taken "out of her element" with the arrangements made that accommodated the computer-generated effects. She called it her first time doing "this kind of movie" but expressed interest in seeing what her scenes looked like. In 2010, ''
Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, wi ...
'' reported that Bassett would have a role in '' One Police Plaza''. In 2011, Bassett co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson in the play ''
The Mountaintop ''The Mountaintop'' is a play by American playwright Katori Hall. It is a fictional depiction of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last night on earth set entirely in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel on the eve of his assassination in 1968. Historical ...
'' a fictionalized depiction of the night before the
assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr., an African-American clergyman and civil rights leader, was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, at 6:01 p.m. CST. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he died at ...
(Jackson portrays MLK) while at the Lorraine Motel. The critically acclaimed play by Katori Hall originally debuted in London's West End in 2009 and went on to win the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play. The production opened on Broadway on October 13, 2011. In March 2011, it was reported that Bassett had signed up for a lead role in the ABC pilot ''Identity''. She also appeared in the 2011 film '' Jumping the Broom'', playing the matriarch of a wealthy family. Bassett had a good feeling about the film from "the start", and believed her character had a "real presence" in the film and felt she was active in the plot. Bassett's and Loretta Devine's performances in the film were called "in some ways too fierce for the room, offering nuances of hostility and hurt that the movie cannot really handle" and contributing to the "unevenness of the performances" in the film. Bassett and Devine were noted as "superb, distinguished actresses" by Kirk Honeycutt of ''The Hollywood Reporter'', but were seen as having been "asked to overdo every moment with permanent scowls and body language more suitable to '' Mortal Kombat''." Despite this, her performance was given some positive attention, with Elizabeth Weitzman of ''New York Daily News'' saying Bassett "makes the movie hers". The film was Bassett's second time working with Devine, as the pair had worked together previously in ''Waiting to Exhale''. Director Salim Akil said Bassett's presence quietly makes a big difference. Bassett was featured in the 2012 film '' This Means War'', having been known to be attached to the film since two years prior. Tambay A. Obenson of
IndieWire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Holl ...
attributed Bassett's lack of appearances in promotional material to her having a small role and her demographic not being targeted by the film. Bassett also appeared as herself in ''I Ain't Scared Of You''. Bassett portrayed Coretta Scott King in the television film '' Betty and Coretta'', which aired on February 2, 2013, continuing her trend of portraying real women. Bassett had previously played Shabazz in both ''Malcolm X'' and ''
Panther Panther may refer to: Large cats * Pantherinae, the cat subfamily that contains the genera ''Panthera'' and ''Neofelis'' **'' Panthera'', the cat genus that contains tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards. *** Jaguar (''Panthera onca''), found in S ...
'', but instead played Coretta Scott King opposite to Mary J. Blige, who played Shabazz. Bassett was surprised to learn after researching that Coretta initially refused Martin Luther King Jr.'s "advances" and called Mrs. King a "modern day iconic heroine." While being asked about what drew her to play real-life women, Bassett answered "The respect that I have for their lives—their stories, vulnerabilities, strength, and resolve." Bassett began filming her scenes during the latter part of the previous year. Mary J. Blige, when asked about what kind of experience it was to work with Bassett, said that she was "one of Angela's biggest fans" while calling her an "amazing woman." The film received mixed reviews, including negative reactions from
Ilyasah Shabazz Ilyasah Shabazz (born July 22, 1962) is an American author, most notably of a memoir, '' Growing Up X'', community organizer, social activist, and motivational speaker, and the third daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. Early life Shabazz w ...
and Bernice King, the daughters of
Betty Shabazz Betty Shabazz (born Betty Dean Sanders; May 28, 1934/1936 – June 23, 1997), also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate. She was married to Malcolm X. Shabazz grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where her foste ...
and Coretta Scott King. Bassett appeared as Secret Service director Lynne Jacobs in the action thriller '' Olympus Has Fallen'', released on March 22, 2013. Bassett was reported to have a role in the film in June 2012, the month before filming began. In an interview with ''
The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', Bassett noted that there had "never been a female head of the Secret Service, much less a woman of color". She called the decision to have a female African-American Secret Service director "a bold casting choice". Overall, Bassett viewed the film as authentic. Bassett described working with Morgan Freeman as wonderful, but she admitted to being intimidated by him. She was impressed with the preparation of director Antoine Fuqua, who she said "was just preparation to the hilt" and expressed her interest in working with him again. She appeared in the 2013 film ''
Black Nativity ''Black Nativity '' is an adaptation of the Nativity story by Langston Hughes, performed by an entirely black cast. Hughes was the author of the book, with the lyrics and music being derived from traditional Christmas carols, sung in gospel sty ...
''. She sang and it was seen as contributing to the film's "blissful unreality". She was asked by the film's director, Kasi Lemmons, if she could sing and Bassett admitted to lying to get the role. She joked to reporter Jennifer H. Cunningham, "Yes, I can sing — you didn't ask how well!" Singing in a film was a new experience for Bassett, who had never had to sing before and had always lip-synced. In 2013, Bassett appeared on FX TV show '' American Horror Story: Coven'' as Marie Laveau, a voodoo witch. Bassett praised the writers, calling them "amazing". Her agent approached Ryan Murphy about her having a role in the series and he told the agent that she was the person he had in mind for Marie Laveau. Bassett watched the previous seasons of the series before meeting with Murphy and found the writing "wonderful" and the characters "so realized". Bassett's performance earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. She returned to the show for its fourth season '' American Horror Story: Freak Show'', playing Desiree Dupree, a three-breasted woman. She received another nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. It was announced in May 2014 that Bassett would make her directorial debut with '' Whitney'', a TV film based on the life of Whitney Houston, who Bassett had worked with previously. Bassett had previously expressed interest in directing the year before. It was announced in early June 2014 that
Yaya DaCosta Camara DaCosta Johnson (born November 15, 1982), better known as Yaya DaCosta, is an American actress and model. She was the runner-up in Cycle 3 of ''America's Next Top Model''. DaCosta eventually went to star in ABC's daytime drama series ''All ...
would play Houston in the film. Houston's daughter,
Bobbi Kristina Brown Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown (March 4, 1993 – July 26, 2015) was an American reality television personality. She was the daughter and only child of singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. Her parents' fame kept Brown in the public eye, a ...
, insulted Bassett on Twitter for not casting her as her mother in the film, to which Bassett admitted in an interview that she had never thought about casting Brown. On June 11, 2014, Ruby Dee died from natural causes. Bassett had previously worked with her on ''Betty and Coretta'' and was reported to attend the Riverside Church memorial for Dee on September 20, 2014. In the 2015 film '' Survivor'', Bassett portrayed United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Maureen Crane. In a negative review of the film, Mark Kermode lamented Bassett "appears from behind closed doors like a celebrity guest on '' Stars in Their Eyes''." Basset also voiced the character Six in the first-person shooter game, '' Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege''. In March 2016, Bassett appeared in ''
London Has Fallen ''London Has Fallen'' is a 2016 American action thriller film directed by Babak Najafi and written by Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, Chad St. John and Christian Gudegast. It is the second installment in the ''Has Fallen'' film series, ...
'', reprising her role as Lynne Jacobs. Bassett noted it was "the very first sequel I've ever done" and that she had been excited at the prospect of another film after the initial success of ''Olympus Has Fallen''. In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Bassett and others told the stories of the people killed there. Bassett appeared in '' American Horror Story: Roanoke''. She also directed its sixth episode, which aired on October 19, 2016. The episode marks the third time a woman has directed the show. Co-creator Ryan Murphy praised Bassett in an interview with E! News, saying he told her she would "'do this big, big episode and you're going to knock it out of the park,' and she did. And I've seen it time and time again with these women that we brought into this directing world that they're just killing it, and they're working twice as hard because they know they have a lot to prove." In March 2017, Bassett appeared in "Ache", an episode of the television series '' Underground''. Executive producer and director Anthony Hemingway said her character "was written with Angela in mind" and that the entire cast came to see Bassett the day she filmed her performance. In May 2017, Bassett appeared in an episode of '' Master of None'', portraying major character Denise's mother Catherine. Lena Waithe wanted Bassett after being impressed by her previous work though was convinced she would turn down the role and said Bassett's inclusion influenced the series drastically with "another layer" of tension. The writers of the series also favored Bassett for the role after seeing her performance in ''The Jacksons: An American Dream'' and related her character's evolution in that feature to Catherine. In January 2018, Bassett joined the Fox first responder procedural drama '' 9–1–1'', of which she is also a producer. She plays officer Athena Grant, and during the show's fifth season in 2022, the character is set to cross over to its spinoff, '' 9-1-1: Lone Star''. In February 2018, Bassett starred in the acclaimed Marvel superhero film '' Black Panther'' as Queen Ramonda, mother of the
titular character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
. In July 2018, she portrayed CIA Director Erika Sloane in the action spy film '' Mission: Impossible – Fallout''. In December 2018, she voiced the Decepticon villain 'Shatter' from the
Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, ...
live-action film ''
Bumblebee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only Extant taxon, extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct r ...
''. In 2019, she joined the cast of '' Gunpowder Milkshake''. She also reprised her role as Ramonda in '' Avengers: Endgame''.


2020s

Bassett provided the voice of Dorothea Williams in the Pixar animated film ''
Soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
'', which was released on
Disney+ Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...
on December 25, 2020. She also became narrator of the
Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park, previously known as Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (1971–1994) and The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017), is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida. Owned and operated by The ...
nighttime spectacular ''
Disney Enchantment ''Disney Enchantment'' was a fireworks and projection mapping show that debuted at the Magic Kingdom on September 30, 2021, as part of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration. Similar to its predecessor, '' Happily Ever After'', the s ...
'' that premiered on October 1, 2021. In 2022, she reprised her role as Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She is set to appear alongside Millie Bobby Brown in ''Damsel''. In December 2022, she was named to
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
's ''Women in Entertainment Power 100''.


Media image

Bassett has been noted for portraying real life African-American women who are usually strong and intelligent. Bassett said in 2001 that she liked those roles and added: "That's the image that I like to put out there, and those are the parts I'm attracted to. But not iron-fist kind of strong, just self-assured. I'm nice too." She has turned down roles which she viewed as demeaning to her image. "This is a career about images. It's celluloid; they last for ever. I'm a black woman from America. My people were slaves in America, and even though we're free on paper and in law, I'm not going to allow you to enslave me on film, in celluloid, for all to see. And to cross the water, to countries where people will never meet people who look like me. So it becomes a bigger thing than me just becoming a movie star, and me just being on TV. So if you're going to show every black woman as 400lb or every black woman as the prostitute on the street ... But I have always maintained that he rolesI cannot do because of the way I'm made up, or because of the way I think, I don't begrudge that there is someone else who has no issues with that." In December 2022, she was named to
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
's ''Women in Entertainment Power 100''.


Personal life

Bassett married actor
Courtney B. Vance Courtney Bernard Vance (born March 12, 1960) is an American actor. Known for his commanding presence Vance started his career on stage before transitioning his career into film and television. He's received various accolades including a Tony Awa ...
in 1997. They first met at Yale School of Drama, then became a couple over a decade later after their paths crossed again in Los Angeles. In the summer of 2005, they starred together in a production of '' His Girl Friday'' at the Guthrie Theater in
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...
, Minnesota. The couple's twins – son Slater Josiah Vance and daughter Bronwyn Golden Vance – were carried by a surrogate. Bassett is a supporter of programs for the arts, especially for youth. She annually attends events for children with
diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
and those in foster homes. She is an active Ambassador of UNICEF for the United States and a member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ. Bassett is a supporter of the
Royal Theater Royal Theatre or Royal Theater may refer to: Venues Australia * Royal Theatre, Canberra Belgium * Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, Brussels * Royal Park Theatre, Brussels * Royal Flemish Theatre, Brussels Canada * Royal Theatre, Victoria, British ...
Boys & Girls Club in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. She is represented by the Executive Speakers Bureau of Memphis, Tennessee . In early 2007, Bassett donated $2,300 to the
presidential campaign President most commonly refers to: * President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
. Bassett supported Obama in his reelection campaign. In June 2012, she made an appearance at the St. Petersburg office of his campaign and said the election was not one "where we can sit on the sidelines". Bassett attended the second inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20, 2013. She endorsed
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
for president during the
2016 United States presidential election The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticke ...
, saying "Bar none, Clinton would make a great president." Bassett also spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, introducing survivors of the previous year's Charleston church shooting, an incident about which she spoke during her remarks. After Clinton was defeated in the general election, Bassett tweeted, "Only 1455 days until November 3, 2020. Rest up my country. #ProudOfHer". Bassett was initiated as an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority on July 13, 2013.


Filmography


Awards and nominations


References


Further reading

*


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bassett, Angela 1958 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses African-American actresses American television actresses American film actresses American voice actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Florida Actresses from New York City African-American television producers Audiobook narrators Television producers from New York City American women television producers Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners People from Harlem People from St. Petersburg, Florida Yale School of Drama alumni Delta Sigma Theta members 20th-century African-American activists Florida Democrats New York (state) Democrats California Democrats Members of the Church of God in Christ Television producers from Florida Women in Entertainment Power 100