Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. Known for her work in film and television since the 1980s, she has received
various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, as well as nominations for two
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
. In 2023, ''
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine named her one of the
100 most influential people in the world, and she received an Academy Honorary Award.
Bassett had her
breakthrough portraying singer
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
in the biopic ''
What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which won her a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She had success starring in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), ''Malcolm X'' (1992), ''
Waiting to Exhale'' (1995), ''
Vampire in Brooklyn'' (1995), ''
How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' (1998), and ''Music of the Heart'' (1999). In the following decades, she took on supporting roles in the drama ''
Notorious'' (2009), and the action films ''
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
'' (2011), ''Olympus Has Fallen'' (2013), and ''
London Has Fallen'' (2016). She also played Queen Ramonda in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
films ''Black Panther'' (2018), ''
Avengers: Endgame'' (2019), and ''
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' (2022). For the latter, she won another Golden Globe and was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
.
On television, Bassett has starred as
Katherine Jackson in the miniseries ''
The Jacksons: An American Dream'' (1992). Her portrayal of
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American civil rights activist. She is best known for her refusal to move from her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus, in defiance of Jim Crow laws, which sparke ...
in the television film ''
The Rosa Parks Story'' (2002) gained her a nomination for an
Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress. Her performances in two seasons of the
FX horror anthology series ''
American Horror Story
''American Horror Story'' (''AHS'') is an American horror film, horror anthology series, anthology television series created by Ryan Murphy (producer), Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the Cable television, cable network FX (TV channel), FX. Th ...
'' earned her nominations for an
Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2014 and 2015. In 2018, Bassett began producing and starring as an
LAPD
The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
patrol sergeant Athena Grant in the
Fox drama series ''
9-1-1
911, sometimes written , is an emergency telephone number for Argentina, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Maldives, Palau, Panama, Iraq, the Philippines, Sint Maarten, the United States, and Uruguay, as well as ...
''.
Early life and education
Bassett was born in New York City, to Betty Jane (née Gilbert), a social worker and civil servant, the second wife of Daniel Benjamin Bassett, a preacher's son.
[{{cite book , url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780373830589 , title=Friends: A Love Story , first1=Angela , last1=Bassett , first2=Courtney B. , last2=Vance , first3=Hilary , last3=with Beard , publisher=Kimani Press, isbn=9780373830589 , quote=...she met my daddy, Daniel Benjamin Bassett, who'd moved to New York from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They met, dated, got pregnant with me, married and lived in a small apartment in Harlem. , url-access=registration , year=2007 ] 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
Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the List of municipalities in North Carolina, fifth-most populous ...
. 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; her mother took her and her sister to
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
.
Bassett did not see her father again for several years, until she attended her grandmother's funeral. There, Bassett met her father's daughter Jean, from his first marriage, who was twelve years old, and several years older than Bassett.
After graduating from Jordan Park Elementary School, Bassett was
bused to attend Disston Middle School for seventh grade. She began at that school in 1970, a year before the city of St. Petersburg formally established busing to integrate its public schools. After completing seventh grade, Bassett was bused to Azalea Middle School for eighth and ninth grades. Bassett's mother became more involved in her daughters' studies and told the two that they would go to college.
In her younger years, Bassett was "in love" with the
Jackson 5, and dreamed of marrying a member of the family group. She said her choice 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, Bassett was a cheerleader and a member of the
Upward Bound
Upward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs now referred to as Federal TRIO Programs, TRiO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Economic Opportunity Act ...
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. She 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, she developed a "sense of pride" and did not get another "C" until college.
During high school, Bassett became the first African American in that school to be admitted to the
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society (NHS) is one of the oldest, largest, and most widely recognized cocurricular student organizations in American high schools, with 1.4 million members.
The purpose of the NHS is to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to ...
. The Upward Bound program is 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 studied at
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
and graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
in
African American Studies
Black studies or Africana studies (with nationally specific terms, such as African American studies and Black Canadian studies), is an interdisciplinary academic field that primarily focuses on the study of the history, culture, and politics of ...
in 1980. She studied acting at the
Yale School of Drama
The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in ...
and obtained a
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.)
is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...
in 1983. Her paternal aunt had warned her not to "waste" her "Yale education on theater." She was the only member of Bassett's family to have gone to both college and graduate school.
[{{cite news, url=https://www.oprah.com/spirit/angela-bassetts-aha-moment, title=Angela Bassett's Aha! Moment, publisher=Oprah.com, date=September 2008, access-date=March 15, 2022, archive-date=March 16, 2022, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316004222/https://www.oprah.com/spirit/angela-bassetts-aha-moment, url-status=live]
At Yale, Bassett met her future husband
Courtney B. Vance, a 1986 graduate of the drama school. Bassett was also classmates with actor
Charles S. Dutton.
Career
1980s
After graduation, Bassett worked as a receptionist for a beauty salon and as a photo researcher to support herself while looking 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
Second Stage Theater is a non-profit theater company that presents work by living American writers both on and off Broadway. It is based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and is affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres.
Founded in 1979 ...
. She appeared in two
August Wilson
August Wilson (né Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of 10 plays, collectively called '' ...
plays at the
Yale Repertory Theatre
Yale Repertory Theatre at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut was founded by Robert Brustein, dean of Yale School of Drama, in 1966, with the goal of facilitating a meaningful collaboration between theatre professionals and talented stud ...
under the direction of her long-time instructor
Lloyd Richards; these were ''
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' (1984), and ''
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Joe or JOE may refer to:
Arts
Film and television
* ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle
* ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage, based on the novel ''Joe'' (1991) by Larry Brown
* Joe (2023 film), an Indian film
* ''Joe'' (TV se ...
'' (1986). Decades later in 2006, she had the opportunity to work on the Wilson canon again, starring in ''
Fences'' alongside longtime collaborator
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has gained recognition for his roles on stage and screen as militant and authoritative characters. List of awards and nominations received by Laur ...
at the
Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engag ...
in California.
In 1985, Bassett made her first television appearance, as a prostitute in the television film ''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 m ...
(SAG).
["How Did You Get Your SAG-AFTRA Card?" '']TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media
In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
''. January 13, 2014. p. 10.
Bassett moved to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in 1988 for more acting jobs. She had early guest spots on ''
A Man Called Hawk'' and ''
227'' (both 1989).
1990s
Bassett earned industry attention and public recognition for her early performances in the films ''
Boyz n the Hood
''Boyz n the Hood'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood crime drama film written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube (in his film debut), Morris Chestnut, and Laurence Fis ...
'' (1991) and ''
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
'' (1992). For her portrayal of
Betty Shabazz in the latter, she earned an
NAACP 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. The over 40 ...
. The film received a mixed critical reception. One negative review, for example, judged that ''
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
'' failed to "capture" the rage of
Malcolm X's autobiography.
[{{cite news , last=Boyar , first=Jay , date=July 23, 1993 , title='X' Fails To Capture Rage Of Autobiography , work=Orlando Sentinel , url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1993-07-23-9307210869-story.html , access-date=March 15, 2022 , archive-date=March 16, 2022 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316004223/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1993-07-23-9307210869-story.html , url-status=live ] During production, director
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...
showed Bassett a tape of the exact moment when Malcolm X was shot, since they would be filming the scene. Bassett called the recording "haunting," but noted that afterward 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 worry that she would not have such a role again. "I think I have been incredibly blessed and it is probably just all downhill from here."
Bassett also starred as
Katherine Jackson in ''
The Jacksons: An American Dream'', which premiered on ABC-TV in the same week as the theatrical release of ''
Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
''. After returning to Los Angeles following completion of her work for ''Malcolm X'', Bassett got a call to audition for a film about Tina Turner, based on her memoir ''
I, Tina''. Bassett won the lead role over
Halle Berry
Halle Maria Berry ( ; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant of 1986 and also placing six ...
and
Robin Givens
Robin Givens (born November 27, 1964) is an American actress and director. Givens played Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom '' Head of the Class'' in 1986, and remained on the series for its five year duration. Her troubled marriage to boxer ...
, but had only one month to prepare before filming began. She met with Turner twice, who advised her on details of her interpretation, from wigs and outfits to dancing styles. Turner also did Bassett's make-up, leading Bassett to call her "supportive" and her "biggest fan."
[{{cite news, url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/23/movies/as-tina-turner-wig-to-high-heels.html, title=As Tina Turner, Wig to High Heels, date=June 23, 1993, first=Bernard, last=Weinraub, work=The New York Times, access-date=February 14, 2017, archive-date=March 14, 2022, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314161346/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/23/movies/as-tina-turner-wig-to-high-heels.html, url-status=live] In an interview with the ''
Orlando Sentinel
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region, in the United States. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company.
The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by pare ...
'', Bassett described going to one of Turner's concerts and, after realizing that she knew some of Turner's dance moves, she cried and was "almost a river of tears."
Bassett's performance as Turner in ''
What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993) received strong reviews. Marc Bernardin of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' wrote that Bassett "gave the performance of a lifetime" portraying Turner in the biopic. Bassett won a
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
for her portrayal, and was the first African American to win this
Award for Best Actress. She was nominated for an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
as Best Actress, but lost to
Holly Hunter for ''
The Piano
''The Piano'' is a 1993 historical romance film written and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion. It stars Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin (in her first major acting role). The film focuses on a mute Sc ...
''. (Despite the acclaim, Bassett later said in a 2022 interview on ''
Today with Hoda & Jenna'', that after portraying Turner, she did not receive acting calls for about a year and a half.)

Bassett starred in three films in 1995, which received varying reviews: ''
Vampire in Brooklyn'', ''
Strange Days'', and ''
Waiting to Exhale''. (For the latter she worked with author
Terry McMillan, who had written the book of the same title that was adapted for film). 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
Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom for his film roles; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. H ...
in ''Vampire in Brooklyn'', and director
Wes Craven
Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer. Amongst his Wes Craven filmography, prolific filmography, Craven worked primarily in the Horror film, horror genre, particularly sla ...
. Bassett had previously worked with Craven on television shows. Bassett's character in ''Waiting to Exhale'', Bernadine Harris, was betrayed by her husband. In revenge she set fire to his entire wardrobe and vehicle, then sold what was left for one dollar. Bassett described the scene and her character in this film to the ''Orlando Sentinel'': She 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."
[{{cite news, url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1995/12/22/tough-angela-bassett-is-a-real-softy/, title=Tough Angela Bassett Is A Real Softy, date=December 22, 1995, work=Orlando Sentinel, url-status=live, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817023318/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-12-22/features/9512210048_1_angela-bassett-tears-tina-turner, archive-date=August 17, 2018]
In 1997, Bassett starred as the President's advisor in ''
Contact''. Stephen Holden of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' opined that Bassett was "largely wasted as a Presidential assistant." In 1998, Bassett starred in ''
How Stella Got Her Groove Back'', once again collaborating with McMillan. She played Stella, a 40-year-old professional American woman who falls in love with a 20-year-old Jamaican man. She was praised for her performance by ''
Variety'' and the ''
Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
''. Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' said Bassett's character was "the best thing in the movie" and wrote the actress "portrays this high-strung superwoman with such intensity that she makes her almost believable." In 1999, Bassett starred in ''
Music of the Heart
''Music of the Heart'' is a 1999 American biographical film, biographical musical film, musical drama (film and television), drama film directed by Wes Craven and written by Pamela Gray, based on the 1995 documentary ''Small Wonders''. A dramati ...
'', once again collaborating with horror director
Wes Craven
Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer. Amongst his Wes Craven filmography, prolific filmography, Craven worked primarily in the Horror film, horror genre, particularly sla ...
. Matthew Eng wrote of her "terrifically specific chemistry" with
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation". She has received numerous accolades throughout her career ...
.
2000s
In 2000, Bassett turned down the lead role in ''
Monster's Ball
''Monster's Ball'' is a 2001 American romantic drama film directed by Marc Forster, produced by Lee Daniels and written by Milo Addica and Will Rokos, who also appeared in the film. It stars Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger, Halle Berry, and ...
'' because of the script's sexual content. Halle Berry won 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 has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
for her performance in the role.
The first film Bassett appeared in that year was ''
Supernova
A supernova (: supernovae or supernovas) is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. A supernova occurs during the last stellar evolution, evolutionary stages of a massive star, or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion ...
'', where she played a medical officer. Her other two films released in 2000 were ''
Whispers: An Elephant's Tale'' and ''
Boesman and Lena'', the latter adapted from the play of the same name by South African
Athol Fugard
Harold Athol Lanigan Fugard (; 11 June 19328 March 2025) was a South African playwright, novelist, actor and director. Widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright and acclaimed as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaki ...
. 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'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' wrote that Bassett captured all of her character's "mercurial mood swings", and both Bassett and her costar
Danny Glover
Danny Glover ( ; born July 22, 1946) is an American actor, producer, and political activist. Over his career he has received List of awards and nominations received by Danny Glover, numerous accolades including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian A ...
"rise to the challenge of these larger-than-life roles, just as you would expect."
She appeared in the 2001 film ''
The Score The Score may refer to:
Films and television
* The Score (1978 film), ''The Score'' (1978 film), a 1978 Swedish film, released in Sweden as ''Lyftet''
* The Score (2001 film), ''The Score'' (2001 film), a 2001 crime drama film starring Robert De Ni ...
''. Her character was in a relationship with
Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
's. She read the film's script and became interested. She was telephoned by director
Frank Oz
Frank Richard Oznowicz (born May 25, 1944), known professionally as Frank Oz, is an American puppeteer, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for his involvement with Jim Henson and George Lucas through ''The Muppets'', ''Sesame Street'', and '' ...
, 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.
[{{cite news, url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/sep/29/features, date=September 29, 2001, work=The Guardian, first=David, last=Emer, title=Angela's assets, access-date=December 11, 2016, archive-date=May 17, 2016, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517141300/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/sep/29/features, url-status=live] 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''. In ''The Rosa Parks Story'', Bassett was cast as
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American civil rights activist. She is best known for her refusal to move from her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus, in defiance of Jim Crow laws, which sparke ...
. Laura Fries of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' 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's personality. In addition to positive reception of her role, Bassett was seen as the "star" of the film due to her performance 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''. In the 1930s, about 100,000 former enslaved African Americans were still alive. As part of the
Federal Writers' Project
The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was a federal government project in the United States created to provide jobs for out-of-work writers and to develop a history and overview of the United States, by state, cities and other jurisdictions. It was ...
during the Great Depression, writers interviewed some 2,300, capturing their memories of slavery times. 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 easier to act in than the more intense roles she had in the past, Bassett said, "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 described both Bernie Mac and
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has gained recognition for his roles on stage and screen as militant and authoritative characters. List of awards and nominations received by Laur ...
, whom 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
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer ( ; born August 26, 1993) is an American actress, singer, and television personality. She has received numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Act ...
. Bassett said she loved the story,
[ viewing the lead character as someone who "could be anyone because each of us have had dreams and aspirations and wanting to be and needing to be supported and directed". She described working with Palmer as being "really wonderful." According to Bassett, the two bonded and she said that Palmer was as good an actress as any adult she had worked with.][{{cite news, url=http://www.blackfilm.com/20060421/features/angelabassett.shtml, title=Akeelah and the Bee: An Interview with Angela Bassett, date=April 2006, first=Wilson, last=Morales, access-date=September 9, 2014, archive-date=September 23, 2015, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923193540/http://www.blackfilm.com/20060421/features/angelabassett.shtml, url-status=live] Bassett appeared in the television film ''Time Bomb
A time bomb (or a timebomb, time-bomb) is a bomb whose detonation is triggered by a timer. The use or attempted use of time bombs has been for various purposes including insurance fraud, terrorism, assassination, sabotage and warfare. They are a ...
'' the same year. Her role was seen as an "extended cameo" by Brian Lowry of ''Variety''.
Bassett provided her voice for the 2007 film ''Meet the Robinsons
''Meet the Robinsons'' is a 2007 American animated science-fiction comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the 1990 children's book ''A Day with Wilbur Robinson'' by William Jo ...
''. 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; she appears in flashbacks for the remainder of the film. She and her costars Robert Townsend and Victoria Rowell
Victoria Lynn Rowell (born May 10, 1959) is an American actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. She began her career as a ballet dancer and model before making her acting debut in the 1987 comedy film '' Leonard Part 6''. In 1990, Rowell ...
were praised by Robert Gillard of ''LA Sentinel'' for "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. Also in 2008, she played the character Brenda in the film '' Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns.''
In the 2009 film '' Notorious'', Bassett portrayed Voletta Wallace, the mother of The Notorious B.I.G. 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 and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' titled " Stealing First Base". Bassett was seen as a "terrific" fill in for Obama. Bassett was also cast in the superhero film ''Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
'', released in 2011, as 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. It is updated several times a day, with en ...
'' reported that Bassett would have a role in ''One Police Plaza
One Police Plaza (often abbreviated as 1PP) is the headquarters of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The building is located on Park Row (Manhattan), Park Row in Civic Center, Manhattan, near New York City's New York City Hall, City ...
''.[{{cite web, url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/angela-bassett-cast-1025750/, title=Angela Bassett Cast in ABC's One Police Plaza, work=TV Guide, access-date=March 15, 2022, date=November 18, 2010, archive-date=March 16, 2022, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316004654/https://www.tvguide.com/news/angela-bassett-cast-1025750/, url-status=live] 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 b ...
'' a fictionalized depiction of the night before the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr., an American civil rights activist, 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 was pronounced dead at 7:05& ...
(Jackson portrays MLK) while at the Lorraine Motel
The National Civil Rights Museum is a complex of museums and historic buildings in Memphis, Tennessee; its exhibits trace the history of the civil rights movement in the United States from the 17th century to the present. The museum is built ar ...
. The critically acclaimed play by Katori Hall
Katori Hall (born May 10, 1981) is an American playwright and screenwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. Hall's best known works include the hit television series ''P-Valley'', the Tony-nominated ''Tina (musical), Tina: The Tina Turner Musical'', and p ...
originally debuted in London's West End in 2009 and went on to win the Laurence Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...
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",[{{cite news, url=https://nationalpost.com/arts/angela-bassett-gets-the-green-light-to-jump-the-broom , title=Angela Bassett gets the Green light to Jump the Broom , date=May 6, 2011 , work=National Post , first=Bob , last=Thompson , archive-url=https://archive.today/20140908205856/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/05/06/angela-bassett-gets-the-green-light-to-jump-the-broom/ , archive-date=September 8, 2014, access-date=March 15, 2022] and believed her character had a "real presence" in the film and felt she was active in the plot.[{{cite news, url=https://www.bet.com/article/irirjr/qa-angela-bassett-talks-jumping-the-broom, title=Q&A: Angela Bassett Talks "Jumping the Broom", first=Ronke Idowu, last=Reeves, date=May 4, 2011, publisher=BET, access-date=March 15, 2022, archive-date=March 16, 2022, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316005726/https://www.bet.com/article/irirjr/qa-angela-bassett-talks-jumping-the-broom, url-status=live] Bassett's and Loretta Devine
Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American actress. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of ''Dreamgirls'' (1981), Gloria Mat ...
'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
''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting game, fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992.
The original ''Mortal Kombat (1992 video game), Mortal Kombat'' arcade game spawned Lis ...
''."
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 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'', but instead played Coretta Scott King opposite to Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
, who played Shabazz. Bassett was surprised to learn after researching that Coretta initially refused Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
'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
Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
, 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 and Bernice King, the daughters of Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King.
Bassett appeared as Secret Service director Lynne Jacobs in the action thriller ''Olympus Has Fallen
''Olympus Has Fallen'' is a 2013 American political action thriller film directed and co-produced by Antoine Fuqua from a screenplay written by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt, and is the first installment in the ''Has Fallen'' fil ...
'', 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'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...
'', 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
Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, producer, and narrator. In a career spanning six decades, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as a nomination for a Tony ...
as wonderful, but she admitted to being intimidated by him. She was impressed with the preparation of director Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua (; born May 30, 1965) is an American film director known for his work in the action and thriller genres. He was originally known as a director of music videos, and made his film debut in 1998 with '' The Replacement Killers''. His ...
, who she said "was just preparation to the hilt" and expressed her interest in working with him again.[{{cite news, url=http://news.moviefone.com/2013/03/20/olympus-has-fallen-angela-bassett/, title='Olympus Has Fallen': Angela Bassett Was Intimidated by 'Teddy Bear' Morgan Freeman (Exclusive), date=March 20, 2013, first=Kelly, last=Woo, access-date=September 8, 2014, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908223356/http://news.moviefone.com/2013/03/20/olympus-has-fallen-angela-bassett/, archive-date=September 8, 2014, url-status=dead] She appeared in the 2013 film '' Black Nativity''. She sang and it was seen as contributing to the film's "blissful unreality". She was asked by the film's director, Kasi Lemmons
Kasi Lemmons (; born Karen Lemmons, February 24, 1959) is an American film director, screenwriter, and actress. She made her directorial debut with ''Eve's Bayou'' (1997), followed by ''The Caveman's Valentine'' (2001), ''Talk to Me (2007 film), ...
, 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
Marie Catherine Laveau (September 10, 1801 – June 15, 1881)''Marie Laveau The Mysterious Voodoo Queen: A Study of Powerful Female Leadership in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans'' by Ina Johanna Fandrich was a Louisiana Creole practitioner of ...
, 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 . 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
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
, 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
Yaya DaCosta (born November 15, 1982) is an American actress and model. She was the runner-up in Cycle 3 of ''America's Next Top Model''. DaCosta eventually went on to star in ABC's daytime drama series ''All My Children'' (2008), ABC's comedy ...
would play Houston in the film. Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, 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
Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress. She was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in 2005. She received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, ...
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
Survivor(s) may refer to:
* one who survives
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series
* ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...
'', Bassett portrayed United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, formally the ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St James's is the official representative of the president of the United States and the Federal government of the United ...
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
''Stars in Their Eyes'' is a British television talent series, based on Joop van den Ende's Dutch format '' Soundmixshow''. It featured a singing contest in which members of the public impersonate showbiz stars.
The show premiered on 21 Ju ...
''."
Bassett 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'', reprising her role as Lynne Jacobs.[{{cite web, url=https://collider.com/olympus-has-fallen-sequel-london-has-fallen-gerard-butler/, title=Olympus Has Fallen – Sequel – London Has Fallen – Moving Forward with Gerard Butler, website=]Collider
A collider is a type of particle accelerator that brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Compared to other particle accelerators in which the moving particles collide with a stationary matter target, collid ...
, date=October 29, 2013, access-date=April 17, 2020, archive-date=July 26, 2020, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726044907/https://collider.com/olympus-has-fallen-sequel-london-has-fallen-gerard-butler/, url-status=live 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
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for L ...
released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting
On , 2016, 29-year-old Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States before Orlando Police officers fatally shot him after a three-hour standoff.
I ...
; 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
''Master of None'' is an American comedy drama television series, which was released for streaming on November 6, 2015, on Netflix. The series was created by Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, with the first two seasons starring Ansari in the lead rol ...
'', 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 an executive producer. She plays officer Athena Grant, wife to Robert Nash, and during the show's fifth season in 2022, the character made an appearance in an episode of its spin-off, '' 9-1-1: Lone Star''.
In February 2018, Bassett starred in the acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
superhero film ''Black Panther
A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
'' as Queen Ramonda, mother of the titular character; she briefly reprised the role the following year in '' Avengers: Endgame''.[{{Cite web , last1=Hood , first1=Cooper , date=April 27, 2019 , title=Every Character in Avengers: Endgame , url=https://screenrant.com/avengers-endgame-cast-every-character-return/ , url-status=live , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426133414/https://screenrant.com/avengers-endgame-cast-every-character-return/ , archive-date=April 26, 2019 , access-date=April 28, 2019 , work=]Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers.
...
In July 2018, she portrayed CIA Director Erika Sloane in the action spy film '' Mission: Impossible – Fallout''. In December 2018, she voiced the Decepticon
The Decepticons are a fictional faction of sentient robots in the ''Transformers'' multimedia franchise. Serving as the main antagonists in the franchise, their goals include conquering their fictional homeworld planet Cybertron, defeating ...
villain 'Shatter' from the Transformers
''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien robot fac ...
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''.
2020s
Bassett provided the voice of Dorothea Williams in the Pixar
Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
animated film ''Soul
The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
'', which was released on Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
on December 25, 2020. She also became narrator of the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...
nighttime spectacular '' Disney Enchantment'' that premiered on October 1, 2021.
In November 2022, she reprised her role as Ramonda in '' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever''. Her performance in the sequel garnered her Best Supporting Actress awards at the 80th Golden Globe Awards—making her the first actor to win a major individual acting award for a film based on Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
—and at the 28th Critics' Choice Awards
The 28th Critics' Choice Awards were presented on January 15, 2023, at the The Century Plaza Hotel, Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California, honoring the finest achievements of filmmaking and television programming in 2022. The ...
. She was also nominated for an Academy Award in the same category, which made her the first person in a Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
film to be nominated for an Academy Award in any acting category. She then appeared alongside Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi ( Brown; born 19 February 2004), known professionally as Millie Bobby Brown, is a British actress and producer. She gained recognition for playing Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven in the Netflix science fiction ser ...
in the Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
film '' Damsel'', released in March 2024 to mixed reviews. Bassett also starred as the President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
in '' Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning'', released in May 2025.
Media image
Bassett is widely regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation. Bassett has portrayed 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, Bassett was named as part of ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
''{{'s Women in Entertainment Power 100. ''Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' named her among its 2023 honorees for Women of the Year.
Personal life
Bassett married actor Courtney B. Vance 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
''His Girl Friday'' is a 1940 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell and featuring Ralph Bellamy and Gene Lockhart. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The plot centers on a newspaper ...
'' at the Guthrie Theater
The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions among Sir Tyrone Gut ...
in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
, Minnesota. The couple's twins 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 mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
and those in foster homes. She is an active Ambassador of UNICEF
UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
for the United States and a member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ. Bassett is a supporter of the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.
She is represented by the Executive Speakers Bureau of Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
.[{{cite web, url = http://www.executivespeakers.com/speakerBioDetails.asp?speaker=Angela+Bassett&theSpeaker=1111, title = Executive Speakers Bureau, Angela Bassett, publisher = Executivespeakers.com, access-date = August 7, 2010, url-status=dead, archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110710211529/http://www.executivespeakers.com/speakerBioDetails.asp?speaker=Angela+Bassett&theSpeaker=1111, archive-date = July 10, 2011]
In early 2007, Bassett donated $2,300 to the presidential primary campaign of Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
. Bassett supported Obama in his re-election 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 21, 2013. She endorsed Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
for president during the 2016 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 8, 2016. The Republican Party (United States), Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana Governor, Indiana governor Mike P ...
, saying "Bar none, Clinton would make a great president." Bassett also spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention
The 2016 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention, held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 25 to 28, 2016. The convention gathered delegates of the Democratic Party, the maj ...
, introducing survivors of the previous year's Charleston church shooting
An Anti-Black racism, anti-black mass shooting and hate crime occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine people were killed, and one was injured, during a Bible study (Christianity), Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist ...
, 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
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...
sorority on July 13, 2013.
She is a Pentecostal
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
Evangelical Christian
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
and a member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ
West Angeles Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal megachurch located in the West Adams district of Los Angeles, and a member of the Church of God in Christ.
History
It was founded by Elder Clarence E. Church in 1943. The first sanctuary was ...
(Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is an international Christian perfection#Holiness Pentecostalism, Holiness–Pentecostal Christian denomination, and a large Pentecostal denomination in the United States. Although an international and multi ...
), located in Los Angeles.[Brian W. Carter]
West Angeles Church of God in Christ
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130204749/https://lasentinel.net/west-angeles-church-of-god-in-christ.html , date=January 30, 2023 , lasentinel.net, USA, November 20, 2012
Filmography
{{Main, Angela Bassett filmography
Awards and nominations
{{Main, List of awards and nominations received by Angela Bassett
In 2018, she received a Doctorate of Fine Arts (honorary doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
) from Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
and a Doctorate of Humane Letters (honorary doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
) from Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University (ODU) is a Public university, public research university in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Established in 1930 as the two-year Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary, it began by educating people with fewer ...
in 2022.
Over the course of her career, Bassett has received multiple awards and nominations, including two Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, a Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
( Outstanding Cast for ''Black Panther
A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
''), two Critics' Choice Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
, nine Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
and a BAFTA Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...
. Her Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in '' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' (2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
), marked the first time an actor was Oscar-nominated for a role in a Marvel film.
Bassett was given an Academy Honorary Award
The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Mot ...
, also known as an honorary Oscar, at The Governors Awards
The Governors Awards presentation is an annual award ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center, in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. Th ...
presentation on January 9, 2024, recognizing her lifetime achievement in the film industry.[{{cite web, url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/oscars/why-did-angela-bassett-win-an-oscar-in-2024-details-explored/ar-AA1mMwQL , title= Why did Angela Bassett win an Oscar in 2024? Details explored , last= Mitra , first=Debnabh , publisher= MSN.com , accessdate= March 19, 2024]
References
{{reflist
Further reading
* {{cite book , last1=Bassett , first1=Angela , first2=Courtney B., last2=Vance, title=Friends: A Love Story , url=https://archive.org/details/friendslovestory00bass , url-access=registration , year=2009 , publisher=Kimani Press Single Title, isbn=9780373831210
External links
{{Commons category, Angela Bassett
{{Wikiquote
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Angela Bassett German voice
at Stimmgerecht
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{{Academy Honorary Award
{{BET Award for Best Actress
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series
{{Critics' Choice Documentary Award for Best Narration
{{Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress
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{{GoldenGlobeBestActressMotionPictureMusicalComedy 1981-2000
{{Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress Motion Picture
{{Montecito Award
{{NAACP Image Award for Entertainer of the Year
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
{{Saturn Award for Best Actress
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bassett, Angela
1958 births
Living people
20th-century African-American actresses
20th-century American actresses
21st-century African-American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Academy Honorary Award recipients
Actors from St. Petersburg, Florida
Actresses from Florida
Actresses from Manhattan
Actresses from Pinellas County, Florida
African-American activists
African-American television producers
American film actresses
American stage actresses
American television actresses
American voice actresses
American women television producers
Audiobook narrators
Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni
Delta Sigma Theta members
Disney Legends
Members of the Church of God in Christ
Outstanding Narrator Primetime Emmy Award winners
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
People from Harlem
Television producers from Florida
Television producers from New York City