African Celebrities: Angela Bassett

Saturday 11 January 2014

Angela Bassett

Angela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She was born on August 16, 1958 in Harlem, New York. She is the daughter of Betty Jane and Daniel Benjamin Bassett. After her parents' separation, she relocated from Winston Salem, North Carolina to St. Patersburg, Florida, where she and her sister D'nette were raised by their social worker/ civil servant mother.

Angela Bassett has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real-life women, including Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in Malcom X and Panther, Rosa Parks in The Rosa Parks story, Katherine Jackson in The Jacksons. An American Dream, and Voletta Wallace in Notorious.

Angela Bassett attended Yale University and received her BA degree in African - American studies in 1980. In 1983, She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama. After graduation, Bassett worked as a receptionist for a beauty salon and as a photo researcher.

In 1985, Angela Bassett made her first television appearance as a prostitute in the TV movie Double take. She made her official film debut as a news reporter in F/X (1986).

Angela Bassett married actor Courtney B. Vance in 1997. The couple have two children (twins), son Slater Josiah and daughter Bronwyn Golden born on January 27, 2006. Angela Bassett and her husband and their children live in Los Angeles.

Angela Bassett is an active Ambassador of UNICEF for the USA. She is also a big supporter of the Royal Theater Boys and Girls Club in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.