Boisterous Marvel fans never had the chance to scream out, “Wakanda Forever,” in celebration ofAngela Bassett’s anticipated Oscar win for her portrayal of Queen Ramonda inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. That’s because Jamie Lee Curtis ruined the opportunity when she won the Best Actress in a Supporting Role honor at the 95th Academy Awards instead. And in a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, Bassett admitted she was “gobsmacked” by the loss. The actress said (perOWN):
I was gobsmacked [laughs and pounds on her chest].
Black Panther Wakanda Forever
A sequel that will continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the characters introduced in the 2018 film.
Oprah was stunned that Bassett didn’t win the awardback at the 2023 Oscars ceremony, but she thought the actress handled the loss well. The image of Bassett’s face in that moment of her defeat flooded the internet afterward, which showed an actress on the verge of tears as presenter Ariana DeBose read Jamie Lee Curtis' name aloud as the actual winner. Bassett also told Oprah during the same sit-down:
“I thought I handled it very well, also. And that was my intention to handle it very well. It was, of course, a supreme disappointment, and disappointment is human. So, I thought, ‘Yes, I was disappointed.’ And I handled it like a human being.”
Angela Bassett’s Oscars Journey
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwas already steeped in overwhelming emotions before the film even began its theatrical run in November of 2022.The tragic death ofBlack Pantheractor Chadwick Bosemanloomed large over the production, but the show went on. And there isn’t any question thatBlack Pantherstar Angela Bassett gave a wonderful performance as Queen Ramonda in the highly anticipated sequel. However, when Bassett did lose the Oscar to Jamie Lee Curtis — she won for her role inEverything Everywhere All at Once— that night in 2023, she thought of her children as her disappointment set in. Bassett said in the same interview:
“For myself and for my children who were there with me […] It’s like, they’re going to be these moments of disappointment that you’re going… that they are going to experience. But how do you handle yourself in the midst of them. So, we’re going to smile, we’re going to be gracious, we’re going to be kind. We’re gonna party anyway [laughs].”
Related:Best Angela Bassett Movies, Ranked
29 years earlier, Bassett had been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar thanks to her performance as singing sensation and GRAMMY-winning artistTina Turner inWhat’s Love Got to Do with It. Unfortunately, she lost that night to Holly Hunter (The Piano). But earlier this year, Bassett finally received an honorary Oscar at the 14th annual Governors Awards.
Fans of Bassett can watch the Oscar-winning actress portray Lady Bayford in the Millie Bobby Brown-led fantasy filmDamsel, which is now available to stream onNetflix.
