During an interview with CBS this week, film star Angela Bassett was asked if she felt robbed of an Oscar the last time she was nominated. Surprisingly, Bassett admitted that she felt the opposite and would refuse to see any losses that way.
Bassett has recently been nominated for Best Supporting Actress as Queen Ramonda in Wakanda Forever, marking it as her second Oscar nomination in her decades-long career. When CBS reporter Gayle King asked about her feelings about losing the Oscars in her first nomination, Bassett admitted that she didn’t feel robbed back then. While excited and hoping to win, she “never walk[s] away thinking, ‘I’ve been robbed'” now and back then. Instead, she keeps her head up and refuses to let negative emotions like that weigh her down.
Previously nominated in 1994 for her role as Tina Turner in What’s Love Gotta Do With It, most critics called her performance a powerhouse showing off the woman who fought hard for her family and career. However, the Oscar for Best Actress went instead to Holly Hunter for her role as Ada McGrath in Jane Campion’s romantic drama The Piano. Hunter was lauded for her performance as the mute protagonist. Still, critics like Leah Greenblatt thought it was impossible “to think that Bassett earned almost nothing beyond the 1994 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.”
Still, many are crossing their fingers, hoping that Bassett will be able to win this round. EW Oscars expert Joey Nafi claims that her strong fame proves that Hollywood stars like her can change to suit modern times and still maintain power. Additionally, Nafi believes there are no solid rivals for her to offer too much competition.
Either way, the 95th Oscars are set to premiere on March 12th, where Nafi’s claims will be tested and Bassett will continue to hold her head high.