Angela Bassett and the Oscars
- Starr Bridges
- Mar 18, 2023
- 3 min read
As of today, this is the hardest blog I have written. I made myself miserable this week attempting to avoid that which I knew my Spirit needed to write. I have known the gap between the black community in legal matters, wealth, and in corporate spaces but it is difficult to see that same gap in creative spaces. As an actress one would think they'd find themselves in a safer more creative outlet. I find the same disparity there too.
Let's talk about Auntie Angela Bassett.
There were some mixed emotions about the 2023 Oscars. For example, one of my favorite women in the film industry, Angela Bassett was nominated for Best Supporting Acctress for the heart felt talent she bought to the screen in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever". Instead of being rewarded for her work, Jamie Lee Curtis was the recipient of that award. An immediate divide brewed on social media. Those of us most familiar with Angela Bassett's work, those who watched her grieve Her son on screen knowing she was grieving her friend off screen, and those of us who know the work this woman has put into this industry were all shocked to hear this was not given to her.
Now, this is nothing against Jamie Lee Curtis, she is also an exceptional actress with many years in the field. This is about watching Angela Bassett give decades of creativity to a community that didn't seem to return the gains for the investment she made.
Auntie Bassett herself declared that:
"Queen Ramonda, is the "core representation" of the “strong women” in her life – and even the ones she admires."(a)
Unfortunately, I believe she did not receive this award because she is representing strong women of African descent. Those of us who are strong black women or know and love strong black women we resonate with the heart of Queen Ramonda. If you don't resonate with it, you think it's just acting.
Similar to her 1994 Nomination for the movie "What's Love Got to Do with It" Angela Bassett also played another strong black woman who overcame treacherous obstacles to be who she was called to be. She embodies Tina Turner in that movie, and it is a classic that is loved, watched and quoted to this day. She lost to Holly Hunter for a move called "The Piano". In addition to that Laurence Fishburn who played Ike Turner in "What's Love Got to Do with It", he lost to Tom Hanks for a movie called "Philadelphia".
If we look at the history of the Academy Awards, we will see the gap. The first Academy Awards ceremony was in 1929 (b). However, the first black woman to receive an Academy Award was Hattie McDaniel in 1940 (b). When you realize there were 11 years before a black woman received and Academy Award you can see why the black community still feels a bit short cited as it pertains to recognition for blacks in the movie/film industry.
I want you to hear my heart... I am not against the Oscars or the industry. Angela Bassett herself had nothing negative to say. She is such a poised woman; she wouldn't dare let her internet nieces and nephews see her acting outside of the respect she has for herself. The disappointment comes with the territory of acting. This blog is to encourage you to remember the roots of the things we're cheering for so that we aren't disappointed when things don't go the way we would expect. It is also to bring attention to those who may not know what it feels like to cheer for your community and see it not reciprocated. I know there has to be a winner and there has to be a loser, but we want to do everything we can to keep it fair.
Do you watch the Oscars?
What did you think about the nominations and winners this year?
Send this to someone else who was cheering for our on-screen Auntie Angela Bassett.
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