Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an
American actress. She has become well-known for her
biographical film roles portraying real life women in
African American culture, perhaps most prominently as singer
Tina Turner in the motion picture
What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as her portrayal of
Betty Shabazz in the films
Malcolm X and
Panther,
Rosa Parks in the
The Rosa Parks Story,
Michael Jackson's mother
Katherine in the
miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream and Christopher (The Notorious B.I.G.) Wallace's Mother Voletta Wallace in the Biopic
Notorious.
Early life
Bassett was born in
Harlem and relocated to
St. Petersburg, Florida as a child. She and her sister D'nette were raised by their
social worker/civil servant mother, Betty.
[Angela Bassett Biography (1958-)][As Tina Turner, Wig to High Heels - New York Times] As her interest in entertainment developed, she 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 member of the debate team, student government, drama club, choir, and was a cheerleader.
Bassett attended
Yale University and received her
B.A. degree in
African-American studies in 1980. In 1983, she earned a
Master of Fine Arts degree from the
Yale School of Drama. At Yale, Bassett met her future husband
Courtney B. Vance, a 1986 graduate of the drama school. 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 (1986). In 2006, she had the opportunity to work on the Wilson canon again, starring in
Fences alongside longtime collaborator
Laurence Fishburne at the
Pasadena Playhouse in California.
Television and film career
In 1985, Bassett made her first television appearance as a
prostitute in the TV movie
Doubletake (1985). However, she made her official film debut as a news reporter in
F/X (
1986). Bassett moved to
Los Angeles and gained recognition in the films
Boyz n the Hood (
1991) and
Malcolm X (
1992). For her portrayal of
Betty Shabazz, she earned an
Image Award.
In 1992 Bassett played
Katherine Jackson (Michael Jackson's mother) in the Mini Series American Dream: The Jacksons.
Later in 1992, Bassett won the role of
Tina Turner in the feature film
What's Love Got to Do with It (
1993). Bassett earned a
Golden Globe and was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Turner. She was the first
African-American to win the Best Actress
Golden Globe for a musical or comedy.
Bassett starred in three movies in 1995 that 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 plays Lornette "Mace" Mason, a chauffeur and bodyguard. Bernadine Harris, Bassett's character in
Waiting to Exhale, 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.
In 1998, Bassett starred in the film
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.
Bassett joined the regular cast of the
medical drama series
ER for the show's final season. 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 also played her television husband on
ER as Russell Banfield.
Personal life
[
Bassett 2 by David Shankbone.jpg|thumb|Bassett in New York City with husband [[Courtney Vance].]]
Bassett is a private person, often choosing not to discuss her personal life with the public. She attends LA's
West Angeles Church of God in Christ along with fellow actor
Denzel Washington. Bassett told the
Los Angeles Times: "Loving God is like my being black. I just am.
one says 'You know what? I'm gonna be blacker today!' It's my culture. It's not something I put on or take off or show more. You just communicate that in the way you live your life."
Bassett married actor
Courtney B. Vance in 1997. In the summer of 2005, they starred together in a production of the play
His Girl Friday at the
Guthrie Theater in
Minneapolis,
Minnesota. The couple's children, son Slater Josiah and daughter Bronwyn Golden, were born on January 27, 2006. During an interview on
The Oprah Winfrey Show, the couple confirmed that the twins were born via a
surrogate mother after several years of unsuccessful attempts at conceiving naturally.
Bassett is an avid supporter of programs for the Arts, especially for youth. She annually attends events for children with
diabetes and those in foster homes. She is an active Ambassador of
UNICEF for the United States. Bassett is a big supporter of the Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. The Club is one of the first all performing arts Boys & Girls Clubs in the country.
Bassett is represented by the Executive Speakers Bureau of
Memphis,
Tennessee, and receives between $20,000-$30,000 per appearance.
[Angela Bassett Executive Speaker's Bureau]
Filmography
Awards and nominations
* 1994, Best Actress in a Leading Role for What's Love Got to Do with It, Nominated
* 2007, Best Actress for Akeelah and the Bee, Winner
* 2006, Best Supporting Actress for Akeelah and the Bee, Winner
* 2007, Best Supporting Actress for Akeelah and the Bee, Nominated
* 2005, Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy for Mr. 3000, Nominated
* 2002, Best Actress in a Network/Cable Film for The Rosa Parks Story, Winner
* 2002, Best Actress for Sunshine State, Winner
* 2001, Best Actress for Boseman and Lena, Nominated
* 2000, Best Supporting for Music of the Heart, Nominated
* 2003, Outstanding Children's Series (Our America), Nominated
* 1996, Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series (Storytime), Nominated
* 2002, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-Series/Television Movie (The Rosa Parks Story), Nominated
* 1993, Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for What's Love Got to Do With It, Winner
* 2007, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Akeelah and the Bee), Nominated
* 2005, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Mr. 3000), Nominated
* 2003, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Sunshine State) Winner
* 2003, Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series/Television Movie (The Rosa Parks Story), Winner
*Also, on March 20th 2008, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.
