Angela Evelyn Bassett was born on August 16, 1958 in New York City, USA. She is an Emmy and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe winning American actress.

Her first role was a bit part in the cult favorite, F/X (1986). In 1991, she had a key role in the seminal anti-gang film, Boyz'N the Hood.

Bassett appeared in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992), with DenzelWashington in the title role. She also got outstanding performance in What's Love Got To Do With It? (1993), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Bassett costarred with Whitney Houston in the adaptation of TerryMcMillan's Waiting To Exhale (1995). She also starred in Contact (1997).

She played an inner-city schoolteacher opposite Meryl Streep in 1999's Music of the Heart. In 2001, she costarred opposite Robert De Niro in the crime filme The Score, also featuring Marlon Brando and Edward Norton.

Her last credits include Meet the Robinsons (2007) and Meet the Browns (2008).

Bassett married actor Courtney B. Vance on October 12, 1997.

Filmography

• Toussaint (2009)
• Notorious (2009)
• Nothing But the Truth (2008)
• Of Boys and Men (2008)
• Meet the Browns (2008)
• Gospel Hill (2008)
• Meet the Robinsons (2007) (voice)
• Time Bomb (2006) (TV)
• Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
• "Alias" (4 episodes, 2005)
• Mr 3000 (2004)
• The Lazarus Child (2004)
• Masked and Anonymous (2003)
• "Freedom: A History of Us" (2 episodes, 2003)
• Sunshine State (2002)
• The Rosa Parks Story (2002) (TV)
• Ruby's Bucket of Blood (2001) (TV)
• The Score (2001)
• Boesman and Lena (2000)
• Whispers: An Elephant's Tale (2000) (voice)
• Supernova (2000)
• Music of the Heart (1999)
• Our Friend, Martin (1999) (V) (voice)
• How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
• Contact (1997)
• Waiting to Exhale (1995)
• Strange Days (1995)
• Panther (1995)
• Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
• What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)
• Malcolm X (1992)
• The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992) (TV)
• Innocent Blood (1992)
• Passion Fish (1992)
• "Nightmare Cafe" (1 episode, 1992)
• One Special Victory (1991) (TV)
• Locked Up: A Mother's Rage (1991) (TV)
• City of Hope (1991)
• The Heroes of Desert Storm (1991) (TV)
• Boyz n the Hood (1991)
• "Stat" (1 episode, 1991)
• Fire: Trapped on the 37th Floor (1991) (TV)
• "The Flash" (1 episode, 1991)
• Line of Fire: The Morris Dees Story (1991) (TV)
• Critters 4 (1991) (V)
• Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990) (TV)
• In the Best Interest of the Child (1990) (TV)
• "Equal Justice" (1 episode, 1990)
• Challenger (1990) (TV)
• "Alien Nation" (1 episode, 1990)
• Family of Spies (1990) (TV)
• "thirtysomething" (1 episode, 1989)
• "227" (1 episode, 1989)
• "Tour of Duty" (2 episodes, 1989)
• "A Man Called Hawk" (2 episodes, 1989)
• "The Cosby Show" (2 episodes, 1985-1988)
• Liberty (1986) (TV)
• F/X (1986)
• "Spenser: For Hire" (1 episode, 1985)
• Doubletake (1985) (TV)

Awards

• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture "The Score" 2002
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Special "Ruby's Bucket of Blood" 2002
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture "Music of the Heart" 1999
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" 1998
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture "Waiting to Exhale" 1996
• Women in Film Crystal Award 1996
• Golden Globe Award Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) "What's Love Got to Do With It" 1993
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture "What's Love Got to Do With It" 1993