Angela Bassett in Newsweek
 

Actress Angela Bassett talks about race, sex, age and Hollywood

Angela’s Fire

Ten years ago, Angela Bassett was Hollywood’s premier black actress. What happened? The ‘Sunshine State’ star talks frankly about race, sex, age and Hollywood

By Allison Samuels
NEWSWEEK



July 1 issue — Angela Bassett has a flair for the dramatic. Two hours into a long, frank interview at a Beverly Hills lounge, the actress is asked why, after not starring in a movie for four years, she turned down a chance for the lead in “Monster’s Ball.” Bassett bolts out of her overstuffed chair, and throws out her arms in a gesture worthy of her idol, Bette Davis: “It’s about character , darling.”


Click the link for the rest of the article.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/771033.asp

I do not know about the rest of you, but I certainly have MORE respect for Angela. Yet, in the article, they only said she was trained at Yale, but the woman has a Master's degree from Yale. THIS WOMAN IS ALL THAT...EDUCATED AND TALENTED! (ya'll know that's a double NO-NO for the "powers that be":rolleyes:)

-that "black don't crack" response had me ROTFLMAO!

Why is it that all of the EXCELLENT people in their craft are always underrated/underexposed?

Seemingly, she is a wonderful person just as she is a greact actor.

I did not know that she and Vanessa passed up that role - - - interesting.

More power to Angela. I especially liked how she made it clear that she was not berating Halle for doing Monster's Ball.

High five to Mrs. Vance for the "black dont crack" comment!!!! :) AMEN to that!!!!

Thanks for posting this link. I enjoyed reading the article. I also saw where Angela was criticizing the industry, rather than Halle.

As a side note, I'd love to see more Angela, Lynn Whitfield, Alfre Woodard, all these actresses of a "certain age," now that I'm getting closer to that demographic. :D

I heard about this on the news. Everyone is trying to make it seem like Angela's hatin on Halle Berry, but as you stated, she's not. She is a very intelligent woman who I believe doesn't get the props she deserves.

I love Angela Bassett and I really hadn't realized that it's been so long since she's starred in a film. I don't go to the movies that often and since I have digital cable, her films are always on. And, the black community really loves her so she's always in our magazines.

I wish she would make some more good movies. She has something about her that I really like.

We should have known "they" would not understand. I found this on eonline.


************************************************** *
Bassett Bashes Berry's "Monster" Role
by Mark Armstrong
Jun 24, 2002, 11:10 AM PT

Actress Angela Bassett hasn't had a starring role on the big screen since 1998. So how is she getting her groove back? By dissing the role that earned Halle Berry an Oscar.

The 43-year-old actress is speaking out about racism, sexism and ageism in Hollywood in the latest issue of Newsweek, and she saves her harshest words for Monster's Ball, saying she turned down the film's lead role because she thinks it was demeaning to black women.

Berry later snagged the part--that of a death-row widow who inadvertently falls in love with the warden who executed her husband--and nabbed the Academy Award for Best Actress. But according to Bassett, "It's about character, darling."

"I wasn't going to be a prostitute on film," she tells the magazine. "I couldn't do that because it's such a stereotype about black women and sexuality."

Bassett swears she's not trying to criticize Berry (um, okay), but she then points out that "it's about putting something out there you can be proud of 10 years later. I mean Meryl Streep won Oscars without all that."

Berry's camp isn't commenting about Bassett's interview. But the quotes appear to be a not-so-veiled jab from a woman who Berry mentioned in her tearful Oscar acceptance speech in March, when it marked the first time an African-American woman has received the honor.

Bassett herself was once nominated for an Oscar for her gritty portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993's biopic What's Love Got to Do with It. And with a résumé that already included Boyz N the Hood and Malcolm X, Bassett followed with work in such films as Strange Days, Contact and Waiting to Exhale.

Since then, however, the lead roles have dried up: Her last starring gig came four years ago, with 1998's adaptation of the Terry McMillan book How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

So is her Monster's rant just a case of sour grapes? The Newsweek story spins Bassett as a fiercely independent woman on the comeback trail, earning critical raves for her latest role in John Sayles' ensemble drama Sunshine State. She says it's been difficult to battle Hollywood perceptions of race and age (she says both were at play when then lesser known Catherine Zeta-Jones beat her out for a role opposite Sean Connery in Entrapment) and at the same time, remain true to herself.

(Of course, not all of Bassett's film credits are nearly so high-minded: 1991's Critters 4, anyone?)

But Bassett says she's not willing to take just any role in order to keep working. "I'm not living on beans and water yet," she says. "I'll just have to wait for it to come to me. If it's supposed to be mine, it will be."

As for the Monster's Ball role, Bassett insists she's happy for Berry, and did get teary-eyed when Halle mentioned her in the Oscar speech.

"I can't and don't begrudge Halle her success," Bassett adds. "It wasn't the role for me, but I told her she'd win and I told her to go get what was hers. Of course I want one, too. I would love to have an Oscar. But it has to be for something I can sleep with at night."

That is why one has to be careful when quoting others' material. It seems to me that the E! Online writer really took the Newsweek piece (which was written by a Black reporter, BTW) out of context.

Can I just say I LOVE Angela Bassett! It is a shame how hard it is for older actresses to get work in Hollywood. No matter the age she is still extremely talented. I hope I look like her at 43! Hell who am I kidding, I'm trying to look like her now!!!!:D

I absolutely love ANGELA. Her spirit is beautiful. She is captivating in all she does.

I think that in order for Angela to get the roles that she is befitting of, more books need to come to life.

I definitely see her rocking a role if they were to bring SULA or Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison to the screen.

Also since she has already set it off for Terry twice, she should definitely have a role in MAMA and A DAY LATE, A Dollar Short.

Then Bebe Moore Campbell's books would also get my nod if Angela appears in any of them. I see her most in Brothers and Sisters or Your Blues Ain't Like Mine.

Bottom line, Angela cannot be in a "booty call" movie. Sista girl looked like Tina, Betty and Katherine Jackson in those respective roles. She is definitely the female Denzel.

In response to the article that AKAtude posted that made it appear that Angela was hating on Halle, I definitely see Angela's point. Just because both are Black women actresses does not mean they view the roles in the same way. I applaud Angela for not taking it off on the big screen. She is a symbol of African American Beauty and classy as all get out as well.

I respect Halle as well and hope that this article does not cause bitterness between the 2 women.

GIRL!! I'm strugglin' tryin to get those arms she had in What's Love!

Angela Bassett to me is one of the best actresses and gets very little exposure in Hollywood. She puts her heart and soul into every role she plays. I'm kind of glad that she didn't take the role in Monster's Ball because if she couldn't stand behind the role 100% and give it her all...the role would have been a waste. I haven't seen the movie yet but it seems there are mixed reviews on Halle's performance.

As does everyone else on this board, I love Ms. Bassett too! Did anyone else hate Monster's Ball? Personally, I thought the movie was horrible :confused: Maybe it's the woman in me, but I just couldn't get past the fact that Halle's part was another of Hollywood's many successful attempts at making the female role appear weak-minded and ignorant :mad:. Am i the only one who sees this happening?

Spit that knowledge, CT4!
 

I agree, that Angela Basset is such a classy woman--one that's too classy to play in the "booty call" and ghettofied movies. I have also not seen Monster's Ball, but now I definately will check it out. I resepct Angela for having integrity and doing what feels right to her. I think she and Halle are both good actresses, but from what I hear about Monster's Ball, it wasn't one of Halle's best performances (Hello! "Isiah" was the bomb!). I also think Angela should have won an Oscar for "What's Love Got to Do w/it", just as I though Denzel should have won one for "Devil in a Blue Dress" and "Malcolm X"...But y'all know how that goes :rolleyes:...

The problem is that, as you said, we need not only need more movies, and for Hollywood to change it's racist ways and utilize the variety of Black actors and actresses, instead of typecasting and pigeonholing them into the same types of roles (ie. amny of the same actors are in multiple movies together)...

speaking of degrading...
 

I just saw Trois for the first time.

Talk about demeaning to black women AND men. Wow.

That movie was just bad on SO MANY levels....

More Commentary
 

from Blackvoices.com


Heated debate swarms Berry's Oscar win
By Greg Braxton and Anne Valdespino
print this story

A tearful, overwhelmed Halle Berry declared, "This moment is so much bigger than me" when she became the first African-American to win a best actress Oscar.

The triumph was not hers alone, she said, but belonged to past and current black actresses who have struggled in Hollywood. More than three months later, Berry's words still ring true -- but in a way she likely did not anticipate.


Caustic remarks by Angela Bassett in the July 1 issue of Newsweek, in which she criticizes the sexual nature of Berry's Oscar-winning role in "Monster's Ball" while subtly questioning Berry's choice in taking on the part, has reignited a fierce debate inside and outside the African-American entertainment community about Berry and the bittersweet significance of her victory.

From the set of Showtime's urban drama "Soul Food" in Toronto, to the tables of a Starbucks in South-Central Los Angeles, quiet discussions and heated arguments erupted last week surrounding Bassett's remarks and Berry's portrayal of a downtrodden mother and waitress who finds sexual release and romantic comfort in the arms of a white prison guard who she is unaware has helped put her husband to death in the electric chair.

As for Bassett, the lightning rod for many African-Americans concerns that relationship, which is solidified by explicit sex scenes between Berry and Billy Bob Thornton, whose character is initially shown as a racist. Said Felicia D. Henderson, executive producer of "Soul Food": "After all this time has past, so many want to stand up and applaud Halle. But others say, 'Isn't it sad that she had to be the sexual object of a white man? It shows that it's a man world, with sexism and racism.'"

Some performers have accused Newsweek and other media outlets of attempting to spark a feud between two of the industry's top black actresses. Vanessa Williams, one of the stars of "Soul Food," said, "These sisters love each other. It's so annoying that the media would make this into something divisive. Why would the media try to tear a sister down?"

But others attribute the discourse to the continuing uneasy, mixed reactions of African-Americans toward "Monster's Ball" that have surrounded the film since its release late last year. The continuing sensitivity over the role has cast an unexpected shadow over Berry's accomplishment.

"This has been a no-win for Halle Berry," said Lee Bailey, publisher and executive producer of the Electronic Urban Report, a Web site linked to the "Radioscope" entertainment program. "She is still getting flak from black folks. It's overwhelmed her historic achievement. The role is still a source of irritation. And it's wrong. There's a lot of hatin' going on."

Producer-director Roy Campanella II said, "I felt Halle delivered a brilliant, exceptionally fine performance. She deserved the honor. Unfortunately, to have a discussion of 'Monster's Ball' is to look at what it says about the racial psyche. And that's been associated with her. She's not the issue. But she's becoming the issue."

Making a valid point

Campanella, who is developing an ABC movie on singing legend Lena Horne, added that he felt the material in "Monster's Ball" "associates a level of animalistic sexuality to black women in a manner that could easily be seen as demeaning. I believe Angela has a valid point."


In the Newsweek interview, Bassett -- one of the actresses Berry praised in her Oscar acceptance speech -- says she had turned down the lead in "Monster's Ball" because she found the relationship between the two characters demeaning. "I wasn't going to be a prostitute on film," she says. "I couldn't do that because it's such a stereotype about black women and sexuality."

Although she emphasized she was not criticizing Berry, she appeared to contradict herself in adding, "Film is forever. It's about putting something out there you can be proud of 10 years later. I mean, Meryl Streep won Oscars without all that." Later in the article, Bassett said she loved Berry's performance. She also said, "I would love to have an Oscar. But it has to be for something I can sleep with at night."

Response was swift. Actress Vivica Fox said in an "Access Hollywood" interview last week that Berry saw the role as an opportunity "to shine," acknowledging that all actresses may not agree with the choice: "Don't be trippin' on Halle! Halle got it down! OK, don't hate! Congratulate Halle!" Syndicated columnist Liz Smith said Bassett's comments came across as "sour grapes."

Cultural experts weighed in on talk shows such as Tavis Smiley's program on National Public Radio. Bassett was accused of being jealous of Berry because her career has not blossomed as much as she anticipated. The issue provoked vibrant talk at community hangouts such as Starbucks and Eso-Won Books in Baldwin Hills. Ronald Atwine, a mental-health worker and substance abuse counselor, said while sipping coffee at Starbucks that some viewers had difficulty with the explicit sex scenes: "People still have difficulty seeing interracial relations on screen."

Feelings of respect

Even so, he respected Berry's choice. "I respect her for the person she is and how she's portrayed herself in the media and on talk shows. She had a chance to read the script, so she knew what was in it before she accepted it. It's her right to do the part, and I have to love her for it."

The furor closely mirrors the sentiment that broke out when Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American performer to win an Oscar in 1940 for her portrayal as the O'Hara family's beloved Mammy in "Gone With the Wind."

Although her breakthrough was celebrated, McDaniel was also criticized by the NAACP for the stereotyped role. Fueling the current debate is Bassett's contention that she turned down the female lead in "Monster's Ball."

Tom Ortenberg, president of Lions Gate Films, which produced the movie, said Bassett was never offered the role. "Nobody was ever offered the role of Leticia except Halle Berry," he said. "Anyone who says anything to the contrary is misspeaking." For now, Berry is not responding to Bassett or anyone else about the furor. "There is nothing I need to add to that," she said.

A spokesperson for Bassett said, "Angela supports Halle 1,000 percent, and her comments were about her choices and her preferences, and not Halle's." Still, the debate is likely to continue for a while. Malinda Williams, another of the stars of "Soul Food," said the continuing dispute over Berry is because of all "the pent-up emotion" and frustration built up during decades of African-Americans being overlooked for Oscars.


"This has been building inside us for so long, and it's very heated," she said. "This has forced us to say, 'How do we feel about this? What choices do we have?' It's really created a dialogue. All of us on the set have sat around talking about this, and we all have differing opinions."

Williams added that she felt too much attention had been focused on the "Monster's Ball" sex scenes. "So Halle did a sex scene. What's so shocking about that is beyond me. One person is more comfortable with showing their sexuality than another. Things like this go on every day."

Nicole Gibson, another "Soul Food" star, called Berry's performance "a stunning example of focus and drive. It should inspire dialogue. And it should inspire action as well, for performers to put energy into projects they are proud of." Ortenberg said what Bassett really illuminated was the lack of great roles for women, particularly women of color.

A level of discomfort

He said the discussion about Berry continues because "she played a character with faults. Her character is very real, and her choices hit close to home. It provokes a level of discomfort. Halle is to be applauded [for] the fact that she made this role so much her own that she can provoke that kind of passion."

Denzel's role

Ironically, several observers have pointed out that while Berry has been the subject of controversy, relatively little negative attention has been leveled at Denzel Washington, who won a best actor Oscar for his role as a corrupt, malicious cop in "Training Day."

Washington was the first black performer to win the best actor Oscar since Sidney Poitier won it in 1963. While Berry's character demonstrates grief, compassion and love, Washington's character has few redeeming qualities. He murders a friend, steals money, dabbles in narcotics, sets up his partner, has an illegitimate child and terrorizes almost all whom come into contact with him. One customer at Eso Wan, David E. Fossett of Los Angeles, a contestant coordinator for game shows, suggested those criticizing Berry should take a harder look at Washington.

"Denzel's role was demeaning, too, to African-Americans and cops. But men have it easier. We can get away with a lot. And Denzel, he has such a reputation of being like a Sidney Poitier." Added Lee Bailey: "There's definitely a double standard. It involves sexuality. Women can't engage in that without being whores. . . . "Halle is in a class by herself. She is an outrageously beautiful woman who is getting over. People are jealous of that."

Lorraine Toussaint, one of the stars of Lifetime's "Any Day Now," said she hoped the controversy and the furor over Bassett and Berry would soon dissipate. "These are two of Hollywood's elite," said Toussaint, who is joining the cast of NBC's "Crossing Jordan" this season. "We can't afford to waste time and energy on this. My thought is that a step forward by one is a step forward for all. To think anything else is a waste of time."

Greg Braxton and Anne Valdespino are Los Angeles Times Staff Writers.