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a14 people & arts
Wednesday 8 March 2023
Angela Bassett, Oscar nominee, is just doing her thing

By LESLIE AMBRIZ that her time as Katherine
Associated Press Jackson in the 1992 series
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An- “The Jacksons: An Ameri-
gela Bassett has a pres- can Dream” prepared her
ence that feels warm and to portray Tina Turner. Her
inviting but also demands turn as the singer in “What’s
your respect. The actor Love Got to Do With It” net-
moves like true Hollywood ted the actor her first Oscar
royalty, knowing her worth, nomination, for best ac-
dedicated to her craft tress.
and remaining confident Nearly 30 years later, Bas-
yet humble throughout a sett has been engulfed
decades-spanning, award- in a whirlwind of award
winning career. shows and press junkets in
On a Tuesday in January, preparation for the Oscars.
Bassett would wake up just Bassett says she’s “holding
before 3:45 a.m., unable on” amid the quick pace
to fall back asleep. In just of awards season and has
two hours, she would hear a sound machine that
Riz Ahmed announce her lulls her “off to peaceful
name as a best supporting dreams” as she crosses the
actress Oscar nominee for Angela Bassett poses for a portrait at the 95th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon on Monday, town from one red carpet
her performance as Queen Feb. 13, 2023, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. to the next.
Ramonda in “Black Pan- Associated Press Earlier this year, she won
ther: Wakanda Forever.” the Golden Globe for best
Bassett remembers turning ects and are longtime on March 1. in an acting category. supporting actress. She’s
to wake up her husband, friends. “And I feel the same way “I’m absolutely thrilled also become a viral meme
actor Courtney B. Vance “I was glad to be there for for her,” Carter continued. about it. I didn’t know that thanks to Ariana DeBose
(“I couldn’t experience her,” Bassett said of the “Having seen her journey — that was something that proclaiming that “Angela
that alone and then tell him “brilliant and undeniable” for over 25 years and hav- I learned just a couple of Bassett did the thing!” in
about it later,” she said), Carter, who won an Oscar ing had started with her weeks ago,” Bassett said a BAFTA performance.
and immediately receiv- in 2019 for the first “Black on ‘What’s Love Got to Do at February’s Oscar nomi- Bassett also recently took
ing a text from fellow Os- Panther” movie. with It’ and how commit- nees luncheon. “So, you home the NAACP Image
car nominee and award- Carter shared the same ted she is to her craft, I think know, firsts are always nice Award for Entertainer of the
winning costume designer sentiment about Bassett, that she is due for her flow- and hopefully it’s the first of Year.
Ruth E. Carter. saying she’s beyond happy ers, and I’m so excited to many more.” While Bassett is excited
“It was the first nomination to see her friend celebrat- be here with her to witness Bassett has appeared in about her Oscar nomina-
and the first name,” she re- ed on such a large scale. it and share in the love.” cult classic and tentpole tion, she acknowledges
called. “Well, I am beyond happy As Queen Ramonda, Bas- films alike, including the the Academy’s failure to
“I gasped, and that was a for her. I remember when sett played the mother late John Singleton’s “Boyz include more artists of color
shock, that sort of ‘Whoa! I received the Oscar. She of Chadwick Boseman’s N the Hood” and Forest and women in their list of
Already? You know, give a came right up, and she T’challa. She called work- Whitaker’s “Waiting to Ex- nominees. She advises that
girl a minute.’” was so full of joy and happi- ing with him the “highlight hale.” Academy members should
Carter and Bassett have ness for me,” said Carter at of her career.” She also While attending the Santa expand their frame of ref-
worked together at least the African American Film made history as her Oscar Barbara Film Festival ear- erence when considering
five times on various proj- Critics Association Awards nomination is Marvel’s first lier this year, Bassett said films and performances.q

‘Boy Meets World’ star Ben Savage enters U.S. House race in L.A.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor ing opportunities for all,” he Pasadena, Glendale and
Ben Savage, who starred wrote. West Hollywood.
as a child in the ABC teen Savage joins a crowd- Savage starred in “Boy
sitcom “Boy Meets World,” ed field for the seat held Meets World” for seven
is running for a U.S. House by Democratic U.S. Rep. seasons in the ‘90s, in which
seat in California, marking Adam Schiff, who is run- viewers saw his character
his latest attempt to make ning for U.S. Senate. Other Cory Matthews go from
the jump from Hollywood candidates include former awkward sixth grader to a
to politics. Los Angeles City Attorney college student married to
Savage, a Democrat, said Mike Feuer and Democrat- his high-school sweetheart.
in an Instagram post Mon- ic state Assemblywoman He ran for a seat on the
day that “it’s time to restore Laura Friedman. West Hollywood City Coun-
faith in government” and The heavily Democratic cil last year but only gar-
that voters want leaders 30th District includes a nered about 6% of the
“unhindered by political swath of Los Angeles, in- vote.
divisions and special inter- cluding Hollywood and He said on his website that
ests.” the trendy neighborhoods his priorities include working
Actor Ben Savage arrives at night one of the Creative Arts Emmy “I firmly believe in standing of Silver Lake and Echo for safer streets, and ad-
Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2016. up for what is right, ensur- Park, and also cuts through dressing homelessness and
Associated Press ing equality and expand- neighboring cities including affordable housing.q