Michael B Jordan Wades into Fray Over Angela Bassett’s Oscars Loss
When the Oscar for “Best Supporting Actress” was announced on Sunday, fans of Angela Bassett were devastated to learn that
Ivy Griffith
When the Oscar for “Best Supporting Actress” was announced on Sunday, fans of Angela Bassett were devastated to learn that their fave wouldn’t get the honor.
Instead, it went to Jamie Lee Curtis for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
But it wasn’t just fans who were devastated – those close to Bassett also felt the crush, and many have spoken out in support of the legendary actress.
Including Michael B Jordan.
Angela Bassett Looks Poised as She Gets Passed Over for Oscars
Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors praise Angela Bassett after her Supporting Actress #Oscars loss: "Hi, auntie. We love you." https://t.co/ndiKiHfmID pic.twitter.com/5YwcBzWM1Q
— Variety (@Variety) March 13, 2023
When the Oscar was presented to Curtis instead of Bassett, the latter looked stone cold and seemed to be repressing some intense emotions at the loss from her second Oscars nomination.
But her loved ones had no such compunctions and did not hold back their love for the actress.
Bassett was nominated for her role in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and her win would have secured the first Academy Award for an acting role in a Marvel film. But it was not to be.
And Jordan was quick to offer his support.
CBS News reports, “Actors Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors showed support for actress Angela Bassett after she lost out to Jamie Lee Curtis in the best supporting actress category at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night.
‘Hey auntie,’ Jordan started off as he and Majors took the stage to present the award for best cinematography. The words were a direct reference to 2018’s ‘Black Panther,’ in which Jordan’s character Killmonger said the exact same thing to Basset, who plays Ramonda.
Majors then added, ‘we love you.'”
Michael B Jordan Offers Angela Bassett Off-Stage Support as Well
— Michael B. Jordan (@michaelb4jordan) March 14, 2023
But Jordan’s support went beyond the Oscars stage.
On Monday, Jordan posted a beautiful collage of Bassett’s most well-known roles, clearly trumpeting his support for her despite the loss.
It was the kind of love that the “Black Panther” cast has been known to share with one another, especially after they had to grieve the loss of titular star Chadwick Boseman.
One of the hardest parts about filming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was the fact that the cast had to go on without Boseman – grieving both publicly in the film, and privately on the set.
Since Bassett lost, she has been blasted for looking less than supportive when Curtis’s name was called.
However, there’s a systemic problem where women – especially Black women – are expected to repress their emotions in public, lest they seem “hysterical” or “aggressive.”
It’s hard to say whether Bassett’s cool response to Curtis’s win was a result of sour grapes or a desire to hide her emotions, but one thing is for certain: she should be allowed to feel the way she did.
Bassett is far from the only actor not to clap, or to look disappointed, when someone else’s name is called.
Friends and family rallied quickly to Bassett’s side over the criticism, but like the queen she is – she remains unphased.