Angela Bassett’s Best Performances, Ranked

With a stellar career of more than 40 years in the entertainment industry, Angela Bassett is one of the most sought-after and respected actors of her generation. She has played a significant role in impacting the industry as a Black woman and has paved the way for many more after her. She has starred in many recent movies, like Mission Impossible: Fallout and the upcoming MCU sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

She is also known as one of the most versatile actors in the industry, and has given performances ranging from being incredibly wholesome to being absolutely legendary. Her acting ability and work ethic have allowed her to spread her talents all around the world. To celebrate her unique ability of bringing each and every character she plays to life, here are Angela Bassett’s best performances, ranked:

6 How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, How Stella Got Her Groove Back stars Angela Bassett as Stella Payne and Taye Diggs as Winston Shakespeare. It follows the story of Stella, the successful stockbroker, taking a well-deserved vacation to Jamaica, and explores love and all the responsibilities that come with it. This lighthearted and energetic movie shows a much-needed get away from a rich, but mundane life. Angela Bassett, through Stella, shows the success of a beautiful and intelligent Black woman, who must face society head-on for being with someone 20 years younger. Bassett’s performance, despite the weak script and some plot holes, does give out an enormous message of strength and finding companionship.

5 The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992)

This legendary biopic miniseries shows the rise of the Jackson family to fame and success. Directed by Karen Arthur, Angela Bassett stars as Katherine Jackson, alongside Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. The movie shows the formation of the Jackson 5, and how their success brings about turmoil. Though many of the facts from the miniseries cannot be accounted for, it is a mixture of familial love, music, synchronized choreography, and, most importantly, struggle. Angela Bassett gives a breathtaking performance as the head of the family and the one keeping them together from the start. Her powerful presence in the movie showed her sacrificing every little need of hers for the musical family. She delivers every emotion perfectly through the screen, making viewers feel them too.

4 Malcom X (1992)

Directed by Spike Lee, Malcom X is a biopic based on the controversial Black Nationalist leader, Malcom X’s life. Starring Denzel Washington as Malcom X, the movie shows his early life, his small stint as a gangster, and his discovery of Islam. Angela Bassett plays his wife, Dr. Betty Shabazz, making her and Denzel Washington the on-screen power couple. Bassett’s portrayal of Betty as a nurse and civil rights activist gave her the opening to show her potential on screen, and she gives one of her best performances. She does justice to Betty X as the anchor, then later, as Malcolm X's wife, and shows the undeniable love and support between the two. Viewers are bound to feel her pain and get shivers down their spines as Betty wails at the sight of her husband’s lifeless body.

3 Black Panther (2018)

In the expanding universe of Marvel, Black Panther tells the story of T’Challa's (the late Chadwick Boseman) heir to the kingdom of Wakanda, having to step up and face a challenge of the kingdom’s past. Angela Bassett plays the role of Queen Ramonda, mother of T’Challa. The movie was a great display of African culture and celebrated it greatly in many scenes. Bassett completely personified the elegance and beauty of the queen in the movie, with always being two steps ahead. Playing one of the most important and heavy roles of the movie, she showed resilience and intelligence through the character and living up to be the queen of the people. She undoubtedly became one of the fan-favorite characters in the movie. Fans can look forward to seeing her amazing acting (hinted by herself) in the sequel to Black Panther coming in November.

2 Sunshine State (2002)

Directed and written by John Sayles, Sunshine State is a movie that excellently depicts the story of a Florida beach community threatened by developers and the problems that come along with it. This story is told through Maryl Temple (Edie Falco) and Desiree Perry (Angela Bassett), and touches on topics of love, race, parents, and real estate. Bassett gives an incredible performance as Desiree Perry, returning to the island with her doctor husband to face her aristocratic mother. With a melodramatic performance, she shows the struggles and strengths of Perry, and shows a different side to her acting skills. Her display of sophistication made her the most noticeable character in the movie. Viewers could easily single her out as a polished actor delivering an extremely complex character with perfection.

1 What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)

This biographic epic, directed by Brian Gibson, tells the story of the legendary singer Tina Turner and her personal life. Telling her story from when she was Anna Mae Bullock (Angela Bassett), the movie shows her intense rise to stardom and the violence she experienced in her marriage. As Tina Turner/Anna Mae Bullock, Angela Bassett gave the most extraordinary performance of her career. The biggest attraction of the movie is Angela Bassett convincing viewers that she is indeed Tina Turner. She completely embodies her on-stage performance style and off-stage personality. Her performance feels real and does not fall into the trap of impersonation. It is no wonder that Angela Bassett was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal.