Angela Bassett's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) American Horror Story Deiree Dupree Marie Laveau 9-1-1 Athena Grant Close To The Enemy Eva A Man Called Hawk Bailey Webs… Independent Lens Angela Bass… VH1 Divas Angela Bass…

Main Movie Roles

BIOGRAPHY:

Born in New York City, she grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida. Pushed by a high school teacher, she applied for Yale and got a scholarship, ultimately spending 7 years there including 3 post-grad years studying drama. She first appeared in a small role in the cult favorite F/X (1986), but it was not until 1990 that a spate of TV roles brought her notice. Her breakthrough role, though, was playing 'Tina Turner', whom she had never seen perform before taking the role.


TRIVIA:

• Born on the same day as 'Madonna' (qv).
• Bassett's line "Right here! Right now!" from Strange Days was sampled as the only 'lyrics' used repeatedly in the song 'Right Here, Right Now' by Fatboy Slim, his best known song.
• In 1974 she began to consider acting as a career choice after an 11th-grade class trip to Washington, DC during which she saw actor 'James Earl Jones' (qv) perform in a Kennedy Center production of the play "Of Mice and Men".
• As of 2005, she is the first and only African American recipient of the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, as 'Tina Turner' (qv) in _What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)_ (qv).
• Her performance as 'Tina Turner' (qv) in _What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)_ (qv) (1993) was ranked at #95 on Premiere Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Film Performances of all time.
• Played Muslim activist 'Betty Shabazz' (qv) in two different movies: _Malcolm X (1992)_ (qv) and _Panther (1995/I)_ (qv).
• Won the 2002 'Lena Horne' (qv) Award for Outstanding Career Achievements in the Field of Entertainment.
• She was once employed as a photo researcher at U.S. News & World Report magazine.