Celebrities

Here's How Angela Bassett Really Felt About Being Robbed Of An Oscar

Here's How Angela Bassett Really Felt About Being Robbed Of An Oscar
Image credit: Legion-Media

The talented Angela Bassett was nominated for this year's Academy Awards for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever but did not win.

Unfortunately, some publicists took this opportunity to taunt the actress.

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Bassett has missed out on an Oscar. In 1993, she was nominated for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It, based on the 1986 autobiography, I, Tina. To better understand Bassett's feelings, we can look back at her previous experience and address the unfair criticism she received.

Angela went to great lengths to get ready to play the legendary Tina Turner. Not only did she reread the singer's autobiography many times, but she also worked hard to train her vocals to sound like her (even though all the songs for the movie were recorded by Tina Turner herself).

“They would still say, ‘Tina has a high butt. You have a low butt.’ It was, like, ‘Man, if you knew how hard I work, you would not say anything negative to me about anything!’” the actress told a New Yorker reporter.

Tina Turner supported Angela, noting their shared experience as black women in the South.

And despite all this effort, Basset lost to Holly Hunter, who got the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the period drama The Piano. Basset, however, managed to take the loss in stride: she admitted to being bummed out about it but was able to move on quickly.

"Of course, in the moment, you're hoping and praying and wishing. But I never — I don't walk away thinking, 'I've been robbed.' That's too negative of an emotion to carry with me for the rest of my life. I choose to believe there was a reason why it didn't happen," she shared in a recent conversation with CBS Morning.

Thus, the term "robbed" doesn't accurately describe Bassett's feelings, as she never harboured any malicious envy. It's also important to recognise that actors have the right to experience a full range of emotions during the tense moments leading up to major awards. We're confident that Angela Bassett will have more opportunities to win an Oscar as she continues to share her dedication and talent with the world.