Angela Bassettis gracingEssence’s November/December cover. Wakanda’s Queen is featured in comic book-style illustrations by artist Darius Moreno on the cover and images accompanying the feature story. In the in-depth interview, Bassett discusses the ups and downs of working in Hollywood and some of her most iconic roles, including her portrayal of Ramonda inBlack Panther. Next month, the actress stars in Marvel’s anticipated sequelBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Chadwick Boseman, who famously portrayed the film’s titular character in the original, died of colon cancer in 2020. At the time, it was unknown how his unexpected passing would impact the future ofBlack Panther. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and writer and director Ryan Coogler decidednot to recast Black Panther/T’Challahbut rather to incorporate the actor’s death into the upcoming film. InBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, Bassett’s Ramonda must deal with the loss of her son. She tells Essence:
“It’s quite a bit, emotionally, that Ramonda has to deal with. In the midst of all this loss, she has to find that strength to comfort and lead.”
On a personal level, the actress told the publication that she felt butterflies on the first day of filming and added:
“There are these two things that we were dealing with: the loss of our leader and trying to meet the expectations of an audience. The mantle is monumental, but it’s not so heavy that we can’t accomplish what we all gathered together to do,” she said.
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverstars Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Dominique Thorne, Tenoch Huerta, and Martin Freeman. The film hits theaters on Nov. 11.
Related:Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Costumes Honor Chadwick Boseman, Designer Says
Angela Bassett on an Iconic Career
During her conversation with writer Brande Victorian, Bassett, whose career spans over four decades, also discussed her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993’sWhat’s Love Got to do With it?Brian Gibson’s biopic told the story of the celebrated singer, detailing her rise to stardom and her tumultuous and violent marriage with Ike Turner. Her impactful performance earned Bassett an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress but what occurred following those accolades surprised Bassett:
“That’s perhaps when I thought, ‘Okay, I’ve made it’—but then the phone didn’t ring for a year and a half after that.But I’ve made it,I thought. Yes, you’ve made it, but now there are other things to consider.”
But the phone did eventually ring, and when Bassett returned to film in 1995, she did so in a big way. That year, the actress appeared inPanther,Strange Days,Vampire in Brooklyn, andWaiting to Exhale. Bassett’s illustrious career also includes films like Notorious, Betty & Corretta, andHow Stella Got Her Groove Back, among others. On television, she’s appeared on the American Horror Story anthology, earning an Emmy nomination for her role in Coven. Since 2018, she has starred in and produced Fox’s9-1-1.
