Actor Angela Bassett has opened up about the big Oscars moment that wasn't—her loss of the 2023 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Bassett was widely favored to win the award last year for her performance as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but lost to Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
In a recent sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, Bassett, who was awarded an honorary Oscar this year, revealed that her viral facial reaction during the ceremony revealed a "supreme disappointment" at her loss.
Angela Bassett on How She Handled The Disappointment of Not Winning an Oscar | OWN Spotlight | OWNyoutu.be
Bassett was previously nominated in 1994 for the Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got To Do With It, and had swept many of the early awards last year that lead up to and often predict the Oscars, like the Golden Globes and Critics' Choice Awards.
Curtis' surprise win left many shocked, and Bassett's reaction in the moment instantly went viral after what many saw as a "shady," withering glance in Curtis' direction.
You can see the moment below:
Jamie Lee Curtis Wins Best Supporting Actress for 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' | 95th Oscarsyoutu.be
But Bassett told Winfrey that her reaction was anything but sour grapes. Rather, it was just simple human disappointment.
“I was gobsmacked. I thought I handled it very well, and that was my intention: to handle it very well."
"It was, of course, a supreme disappointment, and disappointment is human, so yes, I was disappointed, and I handled it like a human being.”
Winfrey concurred, saying that she didn't understand the viral uproar over Bassett's face, describing it as a natural reaction to a shocking upset.
Bassett agreed, and said her main concern was modeling a gracious loss for her children, who attended the ceremony with her.
“Absolutely. For myself and for my children, who were there with me, yes..."
"There are going to be these moments of disappointment that they are going to experience. But how do you handle yourself in the midst of them?"
"We’re going to smile, we’re going to be gracious, we’re going to be kind — we got a party, anyway.”
On social media, fans were supportive of Bassett.
A lot of us were, Angela absolutely deserved that award! Idc if it was a Marvel movie, auntie had every right to be disappointed, upset, etc and feel how she felt. It's wild how folks got the nerve to think they can tell people how to feel.— (@)
And Bassett's loss was on many fans' minds during this year's Oscars, especially since her Honorary Oscar win speech was not included in the telecast.
Bassett is currently starring in a new season of the ABC series 911 and lent her voice to the fittingly named National Geographic documentary Queens, currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
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