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Angela Bassett’s roles are legendary, from Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It to Marie Laveau in American Horror Story to Queen Ramonda in Marvel’s Black Panther. No matter the role Angela seems to embody the character and is always unforgettable. This week People tweeted out a clip from an upcoming episode of their People Every Day podcast on iHeartRadio, in which Angela pays tribute to Cicely Tyson and is interviewed about her career. In the clip, Angela is asked which of her roles was the most difficult to embody and which was the most enjoyable. Angela states that portraying Tina Turner was the most physically, emotionally, vocally and spiritually taxing and embodying the power and spirit of Marie Laveau was the most exhilarating. Below is a transcript from the clip via Twitter:
Janine Rubenstein: “What would you say of your other roles has been the most enjoyable and then maybe the most difficult?”
Angela: “Definitely, nothing has been as difficult as Tina Turner. Nothing as difficult physically, emotionally, spiritually, vocally.That last shot in the limo, that was the last day of filming and that day was literally 25 hours.
At the end of it, it was like, “Don’t ask me my name. I can’t give you that.”
One of the other characters that you mentioned that was enjoyable was Marie Laveau in American Horror Story.
Voodoo Queen of New Orleans in the 1800s who had all this sway in that city with all people. Black, white and even still to this day, her name and her spirit is referenced. “
Angela also admits in the interview that her children, 15 year-old twins Bronwyn and Slater, have yet to see What’s Love Got to Do With It. She received an Oscar nomination and earned a Golden Globe for her performance in that film. Angela says that when the time is right she is sure that Bronwyn and Slater will see the movie. Below are a few quotes from People:
Based on the life of singer Tina Turner, the movie follows the ups and downs of Turner’s illustrious career. Bassett’s portrayal of the singer is considered by many to be one of her best, earning her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win for the role.
But despite the accolades the film brought her, Bassett says her kids “haven’t seen it,” and she’s not doing anything to change that. “Let them discover it,” she said. “Let their friends discover it … maybe [then] I’d get some more respect around here! … I tell them, you don’t know what I got up my sleeve.”
That’s not to say her kids are totally in the dark about their mom’s talents: “They really enjoyed [Soul],” Bassett noted of the recent Pixar flick, to which she lent her voice.
Angela will always be my auntie in my head. I love how she is just so joyous while always giving you the business. She cracked me up when she says that she hopes her children and their friends discover What’s Love Got To Do With It on their own because then would she get some respect around her house. She will definitely get some accolades from her children after they watch WLGTDWI. Angela embodied Tina Turner. I believe Angela when she says that playing Tina Turner took everything in her and left her with nothing, because you can tell that Angela bared her soul. I am sure having to portray that level of abuse and fear would be draining. It was in WLGTDWI that I fell in love with Angela. Angela was also seared into my heart when she played Bernadine Harris in Waiting to Exhale. That scene where Bernadine lights her husband’s car and effects on fire was THE scene.
I was reminded of Angela’s range when she played Marie Laveau in American Horror Story. I still use that scene of Angela as Marie laughing hysterically as one of my favorite gifs. Angela is a badass and there aren’t many actors that can come close to her range and depth as an actor. I hope to continue to see Angela on my screen both big and small and I look forward to her reprising her role as Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther sequel. Hopefully, she will also be bringing Ramonda to the Wakandaverse in the Disney+ series as well.
Confession : when I think of Tina Turner or hear a song by her, I instantly think of Angela Bassett and not the real Tina!! pic.twitter.com/Ojt7Yn7e8A
— ♥♡Arian Allen♥♡ (@ONeNaMillion22) February 3, 2021
She should have won every award for the Tina Turner movie- she inhabited the role,
Angela Bassett did an excellent job as Tina Turner. She was amazing. Wow!
She was amazing as Tina Turner. Stunning, talented woman.
Angela Bassett is an amazing actor, absolutely iconic. Complete girl crush here!
I still cannot believe she did not win the Oscar for Whats Love Got to Do With It. She was incredible and powerful. Even for the Globes – I think it should have been listed as a drama, not a comedy or musical.
Okay I looked it up, and while I am still outraged on her behalf, that was a TOUGH year to be in the Oscar race – Schindler’s List, Philadelphia. the Remains of the Day, the Piano, In the Name of the Father.
I actually only watched part of the Piano once and couldnt get into it, so cant comment on Holly Hunter’s performance in that.
And that’s your trip down Oscar memory lane for the day.
Icon level!
That part in Waiting to Exhale where she piles everything into the car and torches it, then is just out there with a cigarette…….fire. Literal fire.
And when the fireman’s at her door saying it’s illegal to burn anything but trash and she just casually responds “It *is* trash.” LOVE. IT. Waiting to Exhale is one of my all-time favorite films, just fantastic from beginning to end. Obviously WLGTDWI was a true tour de force performance (for Laurence Fishburne, too. He was incredible), and the film itself is the gold standard of biopics.
What I love about Angela Basset’s performances, is that she is able to embody these characters with such steely resolve and vulnerability.
she is one of those women that is so beautiful and when you see her in person she is literally STUNNING. like stop and stare beautiful. Candace Bergen was like that, too. (yes, I saw both in person once.)
and what a talent. amazing.
I saw WLGTDWI when I was younger than her twins (probably not a great call by my parents) and I still have flashbacks to the marital rape scene. So I believe that it was difficult to portray Tina Turner just from the abuse aspect alone, let alone all the amazing other things about Tina Turner that you would have to live with day in and day out just to do her justice.
Angela is deserving of ALL the awards. What she DOESN’T deserve is a crappy police show on FOX. “9-1-1” creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear need to explain why this show isn’t better.
What’s Love Got To Do With It is such a memorable movie and Angela Bassett excelled at her portrayal of Tina Turner.
How did I miss this post on the amazing Angela Bassett? She’s right up there with Tina Turner as a true great at what she does and an incredible icon. I love them both so much.