Angela Bassett is an American actress and activist known for her biographical film roles, most notably her performance as Tina Turner in the biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. Bassett has additionally portrayed real life figures Betty Shabazz in both Malcolm X and Panther, Katherine Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream, Voletta Wallace in Notorious and Coretta Scott King in Betty & Coretta.
Birth Name
Angela Evelyn Bassett
Nickname
Angela
Profession
Actress, Social Activist
Genre
Soundtrack
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
She is unsigned.
Nationality
American
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Angela Bassett was born on the 16th of August 1958, in New York City, New York, United States.
Age
She’s currently 64 years old.
Sun Sign
Leo
Ethnicity
Black
She is of African-American descent.
Religion
Christianity
Education
Angela studied at the Jordan Park Elementary School and later attended Disston Middle School in the 7th grade. Following that, she completed her 8th and 9th grade at Azalea Middle School. She attended Yale University and graduated in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in African-American studies. She also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama. In 2018, Basset was awarded an honorary D.F.A. degree from her alma mater, Yale University.
Family Details
- Father – Daniel Benjamin Bassett (Electrician)
- Mother – Betty Jane (née Gilbert) (Social Worker) (Died in 2014)
- Siblings – D’nette Bassett (Younger Sister)
- Relatives – Daniel Benjamin Bassett Sr. (Paternal Grandfather), Brownie Younger (Paternal Grandmother), Leroy Gilbert (Maternal Grandfather), Emma Jean Stokes (Maternal Grandmother), Leslie Anita Daniels (Mother-In-Law) (Librarian), Conroy Vance (Father-In-Law) (Grocery Store Manager and Benefits Administrator), Jean Bassett (Older Step-Sister)
Marital Status
Married
Boyfriend / Spouse
Angela Bassett has dated –
- Courtney B. Vance (1997-Present) – The first time Angela met her future husband, actor Courtney B. Vance, was while they both were studying at Yale School of Drama. Vance is around 2 years younger to her so they didn’t attend the same classes. They met again about 14 years later in Los Angeles and as they were both single at the time, they fell for each other and began dating. After having dated for a while, the couple tied the knot in a beautiful wedding ceremony on October 12, 1997. While nearing 10 years of married life, the couple sought the help of a surrogate and became parents to twins – a daughter named Bronwyn Golden Vance and son named Slater Josiah Vance on January 27, 2006, in California. They have set couple goals in Hollywood for having completed more than 20 years of marriage.
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet – 5 feet 3½ inches
- In centimeters – 162 cm
- In meters – 1.62 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 61 kg
- In Pounds – 135 lbs
Body Measurements
- Measurements – 33-25-34
- Bust – 33 inches
- Waist – 25 inches
- Hip – 34 inches
- Bra Size – 32D
Body Build
Slim
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Hair Color
Black
Shoe Size
She wears a size 7 (US) shoe.
Dress Size
Her dress size is 5 (US).
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
Angela known for her biographical film roles, most notably her performance as Tina Turner in the biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.
Singing Debut
In 2008, Bassett performed 2 songs titled I love Rock-n-Roll and Hit Me With Your Best Shot during her stint on the medical drama ER.
Film Debut
In 1986, Angela made her theatrical film debut as a television reporter in the action-thriller film, F/X.
Television Debut
In 1985, Bassett made her first television show appearance on the drama series, Search For Tomorrow as Sarina McCulla.
Brand Endorsements
She has endorsed the following brands- Airbnb (2015), Boehringer Ingelheim (2018), National Urban League (2012) & Olay.
Angela Bassett Net worth
Angela Bassett has an estimated net worth of $25 million dollars as of 2023.
Social Media Profiles
- Facebook – Angela Bassett
- Instagram – im.angelabassett
- Twitter – Angela Bassett
Some Lesser Known Facts About Angela Bassett
- Angela discovered her passion for acting at the age of 16 when her 11th-grade class trip visited Washington D.C in 1974. She watched actor James Earl Jones perform in a Kennedy Center production of the play Of Mice and Men and was so impressed that she decided to make acting her career of choice.
- While studying at Boca Ciega High School, she achieved the feat of being the first African American student from the school to participate in the Upward Bound – an academic and cultural enrichment program for underprivileged kids at the National Honor Society (NHS).
- Angela was born on the same day as that of pop sensation Madonna in August 16, 1958.
- Bassett is one of the only 10 African-American actresses to be nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category since its inception in 1929. She was nominated for her role in What’s Love Got to Do with it in 1994.
- In 1993, she got the breakthrough role of her career, playing Tina Turner in the biographical film What’s Love Got to Do with It. Her friend, Laurence Fishburne, who had previously turned down the role of Ike Turner five times, portrayed the character after Bassett was roped in to play the lead role.
- In 2002, she played the protagonist in the biographical telefilm The Rosa Parks Story.
- In 2006, she worked with Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne in the critically acclaimed movie Akeelah and the Bee.
- In March 20, 2008, she became one of the many actors to get her own star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star shines at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
- She has teamed up with German doctor Barbara Sturm to launch a skin care line of products for people of color. The Dr. Barbara Sturm skin care collection includes cleansers, face creams, and hydraulic serums.
- In July 13, 2013, she was initiated as an honorary member of the college-educated women’s sorority group Delta Sigma Theta.
- She marked her directorial debut in 2015 with Whitney, a television film about the life and struggles of American all-time best selling artist Whitney Houston.
- In 2015, Angela voiced the first ever female role of Agent Six for the video game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.
- As a black woman, she considered it important for her to actively participate in politics during Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012. She also supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.
