Angela Bassett, born on August 16, 1958, is an influential American actress known for her powerful portrayals of real-life African-American women in film and television.
She has received numerous accolades, including Golden Globe Awards and Academy Award nominations.
Bassett’s notable roles include Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It and Queen Ramonda in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Her career showcases a commitment to roles that uplift the image of black women and reject those that perpetuate negative stereotypes.
Siblings
Angela has two siblings.
Her oldest sibling is Jean Bassett, who is her step-sister from her father’s previous marriage.
The youngest sibling is D’nette Bassett, born in 1960, who is roughly two years younger than Angela.
D’nette and Angela grew up together in St. Petersburg after their parents’ divorce, with D’nette showing a passion for entertainment like her famous sister.
Career
Bassett has had a prolific and acclaimed acting career spanning over four decades.
She began her career on stage, appearing in plays like Black Girl and August Wilson productions at the Yale Repertory Theatre.
Bassett’s breakthrough film role came in 1992 when she portrayed Betty Shabazz, the wife of Malcolm X, in Spike Lee’s biopic, Malcolm X.
Her most acclaimed performance was as Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic, What’s Love Got to Do with It, for which she received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe Award.
Bassett has continued to take on powerful roles of real-life African-American women, including Katherine Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream and Rosa Parks in The Rosa Parks Story.
Other notable films include Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther.
Bassett has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations, including two Golden Globes, two Emmy nominations and an Academy Award nomination.
She is known for her commitment to portraying strong, intelligent and self-assured African-American women on screen, often rejecting roles she felt were demeaning.
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Awards and accolades
Bassett has won two Golden Globe Awards, one for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her role as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It and another for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Actress for What’s Love Got to Do with It and another for Best Supporting Actress for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Bassett has received nine Emmy Award nominations.
She has also won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Black Panther.
Additionally, Bassett has received multiple Critics’ Choice Awards and Black Reel Awards. In 2023, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
In 2024, she was honored with the prestigious Academy Honorary Award, recognizing her lifetime achievement in the film industry.
Personal life
Bassett is married to actor Courtney B. Vance, and they have two children together.
The couple has been married since 1997 after meeting at the Yale School of Drama and rekindling their relationship in Los Angeles.
In 2006, they welcomed fraternal twins – a son named Slater Josiah Vance and a daughter named Bronwyn Golden Vance, who were born via a surrogate.
Bassett and Vance have also worked together professionally, appearing in projects like the 1995 film, Panther, and the 2008 film, Nothing But the Truth.
They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 2022 with a lavish party, reflecting on the highs and lows of their marriage and the enduring strength of their bond.
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