Angela Bassett Will Finally Get Her Oscar

Photo: Angela Bassett/Instagram

​After two previous nominations, the first in 1996 for Best Actress for her portrayal of iconic singer Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to do With It? and the second this year for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Hollywood icon, Angela Bassett, 64, is set to receive an Oscar at this year’s Governors Awards. The ceremony is hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Bassett will be the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award which is given to those who have exhibited outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes.
 
First awarded in 1957, the Hersholt Award according to Oscars.org, is given to an “individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.” Although this can be considered a career highlight for most people, there are mixed feelings about the honor. Many of Bassett’s fans believe that the How Stella Got Her Groove Back star has been snubbed in the past and that the Academy is simply looking to right their wrongs by finally honoring her with its most prestigious statuette.
 
Dubbed as a “participation trophy,” the reaction has not been great. It appears that the public does not view an honorary award the same as they view a competitive award and believe that an actress of Bassett’s caliber should have been awarded the latter. Bassett will receive her award when the 14th annual Governors Awards take place on November 18th.