Angela Bassett waited nearly 30 years for another chance at an Oscar, and the pain of her seeing that slip away was palpable even to viewers thousands of miles from Hollywood Sunday night. The actress didn’t hide her disappointment when she lost the Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Everything Everywhere All at Once star Jamie Lee Curtis at the 95th Academy Awards. Bassett, 64, went viral for letting her genuine response show.
Bassett was nominated for her performance as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, earning the first acting nomination for a Marvel Studios film. Although she has given a lifetime of unforgettable performances, this was her first nomination since 1994, when she was recognized for her work as Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It. Bassett has also earned seven Emmy nominations for her television work and now stars on Fox’s 9-1-1.
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Creed III stars Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors both appeared to reference Bassett’s disappointing loss when they presented the Best Cinematography Oscar. “Hey Auntie, we love you,” Jordan, who co-starred with Bassett in both Black Panther films, told Bassett from the Dolby Theatre stage. Majors, who also worked with Marvel on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki, nodded in agreement with Jordan as both actors looked Bassett’s way.
Before the ceremony, Bassett told Entertainment Tonightย she was “feeling pretty good” about having her family by her side. Her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance, and their twins, Bronwyn and Slater, were with her Sunday night. Bronwyn and Slater thought it was “long overdue” to see their mom win an Oscar.
“I just I think it’s long overdue and I really want to see her be honored the way that I know she should be,” Slater told ET. “And so this will mean a lot to me, and I know it’ll mean even more to her, so, I’m waiting I’m waiting and I’m ready for it.”
The other nominees for Best Supporting Actressย were Hong Chau (The Whale), Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), and Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once). Curtis’ victory in the category also came after a long career that had not been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Everything Everywhere All at Once won six other awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), and Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh). It was the first film since Gravity (2013) to win seven Oscars and the most wins for the Best Picture winner since Slumdog Millionaire (2008).
As for Wakanda Forever, it still won an Oscar. Ruth E. Carter won Best Costume Design, the same award she won for the first Black Panther film. The film was also nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song. It is now streaming on Disney+.
