After Angela Bassett lost to Jamie Lee Curtis in the 95th Academy Awards’ best supporting actress category on Sunday night, actors Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors came to her defence.
Jordan greeted the audience with “Hello auntie” as he and Majors entered the stage to give the best cinematography award. The phrase was an obvious reference to the 2018 film “Black Panther,” in which Basset’s Ramonda was addressed by Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan.
Then Majors said, “We adore you.”
That would have been the first Academy Award for an acting performance in a Marvel film if Basset, who was nominated for her work in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” had won. This was Basset’s second nomination for an Oscar.
In 1993, the actress won her first nomination for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the biopic “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” This was nearly three decades ago.
Before the 95th Academy Awards, Basset reminisced on her career and spoke candidly about her devastating defeat in 1994 with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King.
“At the time, you’re hoping, praying, and longing, but I don’t leave feeling like I was cheated,” says Bassett. That’s a bad feeling for me to carry about for a while.