Angela Bassett Pays Tribute to ‘Trailblazing’ Black Actresses Who Came Before Her in Honorary Oscar Speech
Angela Bassett celebrated her honorary Oscar win by thanking the Black actresses whose footsteps she followed.
“When acting took hold of my heart, there was not a clear path to what success could look like because there were so few, so few Black actresses prominent in television or film,” Bassett, 65, said during her speech at the 2024 Governors Awards on Tuesday, January 9. “For me, those trailblazing actors, like Ruby Dee, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Rosalind Cash, they were my North Star and my guiding light, proof that while the road may not be without curves and bumps, there was a way to fulfill what I believed deep in my soul was my destiny.”
Bassett went on to note that her award is more than a celebration of her contributions to Hollywood over the years. “What I hope this moment means is that we are taking the necessary steps toward a future in which it is the norm, not the exception, to see and embrace one another’s full humanity, stories and perspectives,” she stated. “This must be our goal, and to always remember that there is room for us all. When we stand together, we win together.”
Earlier in her speech, Bassett also gave a shout-out to other Black Oscar winners, including Hattie McDaniel, Whoopi Goldberg, Halle Berry, Jennifer Hudson, Mo’Nique, Octavia Spencer, Lupita Nyong’o, Viola Davis, Regina King and Ariana DeBose.
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“To my fellow Black actresses, fill your hearts with courage and strength, because regardless of what you may think or see or feel, your contributions do matter. Take comfort knowing that your performances have given hope, offered a different perspective, and for others, just pure joy in a time of need,” Bassett told attendees, adding, “I proudly share this award with women who stand up when they are told to stand back, who speak up when they are silenced, who remain determined when they are told they are defeated.”
Bassett ended her speech on an optimistic note by sharing her hopes for the future of Hollywood. “My prayer is that we leave this industry more enriched, forward-thinking and inclusive than we found it. A future where there won’t be a first or an only or suspense around whether history will be made with a nomination or a win,” she said at the Los Angeles ceremony. “I have faith that one day, someday, the celebration and recognition will be solely on the performance and the performer. Because, at the end of the day, we all just want to have the opportunity to do great, meaningful work.”
Bassett’s honorary Oscar win comes nearly one year after she scored her second Oscar nomination, earning a nod for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Considered by many to be the favorite to win going into the March 2023 ceremony, Bassett ultimately lost the award to Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Jamie Lee Curtis. (Bassett was previously nominated for best actress in 1994 for What’s Love Got to Do With It.)
While Bassett received some backlash for not standing up to congratulate Curtis, 65, on her win, Michael B. Jordan showed her some support while presenting an award. “Hey auntie,” he told her on the Oscars stage, quoting a line from 2018’s Black Panther. Jordan’s copresenter, Jonathan Majors, also sent well-wishes to Bassett by stating, “We love you.”
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Bassett broke her silence on the awards snub in April 2023. “On the evening of the Oscars, with Austin [Butler] seated next to me, I understood intimately what he felt when it was time to learn if he would climb those stairs to the stage,” she wrote in a piece about Butler, 32, for Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023 series. (Butler lost to Brendan Fraser for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2023 Oscars.)
She continued: “So, I took his hand and held it softly as the winner was announced. Although his name wasn’t called, Austin is no less a winner. The time had come for Austin to say goodbye to Elvis as he began to embrace an infinite universe of possibilities as an actor. I can’t wait to see what he brings us next.”
