Captivating, gifted, and sensational, Angela Bassett's presence has been felt in theaters, stages, and television screens throughout the world. A native of New York City, New York, Bassett & her sister D'nette grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with their mother Betty. As a single mother & social worker, Betty stressed the importance of education for her children.

With the assistance of an academic scholarship, Bassett matriculated into Yale University. She received her B.A. in African-American studies from Yale in 1980.

In 1983, she earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Yale School of Drama. It was at Yale that Bassett met her husband, Courtney B. Vance, an '86 graduate of the Drama school.

Soon after graduating from Yale, Bassett appeared in her first film Doubletake. However she is more recognized for her role in the F/X series.

It wasn't until 1993 that she earned widespread recognition for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It. Bassett's performance garnered a Golden Globe for Best Actress as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Bassett currently resides with her husband in California.



The Score (2001): $3,500,000.00
Supernova (2000/I) (2001): $3,500,000.00
Waiting to Exhale (1995): $2,500,000
What's Love Got to Do with It (1993): $250,000.00

Engaged to Courtney B. Vance. [1997] She was once employed as a photo researcher at U.S. News & World Report magazine. Was offered the role of Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball (2001), but she turned it down as she did not want to perform nude. As a result Halle Berry, who went on to become the first African-American actress to win the Best Actress Oscar for her performance, was cast instead. Measurements: 34B-25-37 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) Graduated from Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida, Class of 1976. As of 2005, she is the first and only African American recipient of the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993). Graduated from Yale drama school with a Master of Fine Arts Degree (1983) Her performance as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) (1993) was ranked at #95 on Premiere Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Film Performances of all time. Bassett's line "Right here! Right now!" from Strange Days was sampled as the only 'lyrics' used repeatedly in the song 'Right Here, Right Now' by Fatboy Slim, his best known song. Is one of eight African-American actresses to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar. The others in chronological order are: Dorothy Dandridge, Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Whoopi Goldberg, Halle Berry and Gabourey Sidibe.