Angela Bassett Makes History With Oscar Nomination for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'

By Stephen Andrew

The 2023 Academy award nominations are out, and it's been revealed that Angela Bassett was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category, for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Notably, this nomination makes Oscars history, as it marks the first time that woman and person of color has been nominated for a superhero role. Additionally, this is also the first time a Marvel Studios actor has been nominated for an Oscar in any acting category.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follows the events of the original Black Panther film, but reveals that the film's beloved superhero, T'Challa, has died of a fatal illness. The new movie finds his loved ones, including his mother, Queen Ramona (Bassett), grappling with his death while also trying to save the world from a previously unknown new threat. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever debuted in theaters on Nov. 11, 2022, and was directed by Ryan Coogler from a screenplay he wrote with Joe Robert Cole. Sadly, the events of the film mirror real life, as original T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman died two years prior.

Boseman passed on Aug. 28, 2020, after a long fight with colon cancer. "A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much," read a statement from Boseman's family at the time. "From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more – all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther."

In the wake of Boseman's death, he was nominated for several major awards, stemming from his roles in Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, both of which are Netflix films. Boseman was nominated for Da 5 Bloods at the 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in two categories: Outstanding Performance by Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. He was also nominated for two awards for his role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the 2021 SAG awards: Outstanding Performance by Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, the latter of which he won.

Boseman was posthumously awarded Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards, for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He was nominated for four Critics' Choice Movie Awards, winning Best Actor for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Boseman is currently nominated for Best Lead Actor — for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — at both the British Academy Film Awards and the Academy Awards. Most recently, Boseman posthumously won an Emmy for his work on Marvel's What If... series, a Disney+ exclusive.

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