Angela Bassett’s Guide to Acting, Celebrating Your Body & Drowning Out the Noise | Town & Country - video Dailymotion

Town & Country

Angela Bassett really did the thing—and by “the thing,” we mean the Town & Country cover star sat down to share her guide to acting, the internet, and style. From choosing the perfect role (with a great location, of course) to navigating life as a pre-internet baby, Angela shows us how to drown out the noise and stay sane and centered. Watch as she reflects on meeting her heroes and reveals which of her characters she can learn a great deal from.   Stream 'Zero Day’ on Netflix.

Transcript

00:00Hi, I'm Angela Bassett, and this is my town and country guide.

00:06I'm a pre-internet baby.

00:08This is my guide to acting.

00:13The most meaningful moments of my career

00:16have been when I've met performers that I grew up watching

00:20and whose performances I learned from and gleaned from.

00:23And that would be Cicely Tyson.

00:25That would be James Earl Jones.

00:27That would be Ruby Dee.

00:28It would be Rosalind Cash.

00:30It would be Roscoe Lee Brown, and on and on and on.

00:33So the opportunity to meet them and to work with some of them,

00:37to break bread with them, has been incredible.

00:44My process in choosing a role is, firstly,

00:48if I think that I can bring something unique and powerful to it,

00:52if it will stretch me in a way that I can grow my instrument,

00:56if I think that I will be around others, directors, actors,

01:00who can also challenge me and that I can learn from.

01:05What's Love got to do with it was one of the most challenging roles to prepare for

01:10because it was an immense role, a story of an incredible woman

01:14going through these extraordinary situations and relationships.

01:18and I only had 30 days to prepare, both mentally, emotionally, and physically.

01:24And it was something that I felt called to do

01:28because it was a moment for me to take control, to dive into,

01:32to make no excuses for, that it was going to be difficult.

01:36But instead of saying difficult, it was going to be challenging.

01:40And I am a woman who is up for a challenge.

01:47There really aren't any roles that I really, really wanted and never got.

01:51Every role that I did get, I wanted it.

01:54I wanted it badly and I poured my whole self into it and bringing it to life.

02:00Roles that maybe I auditioned for and I didn't get it,

02:04well, I just decided they weren't for me.

02:06They were a blessing for someone else.

02:08This is my guide to the internet.

02:13One of my favorite memes, Bernadine from Waiting to Exhale.

02:18Full cathartic moment.

02:20It's all going to be all right after you've scorched earth.

02:24How did you embrace Ariana DeBose's Baptist performance?

02:27I was tickled by it.

02:28I thought it was wonderful.

02:30Of course, you know, a couple of people had a little mumbling

02:33or a little something to say.

02:35And I didn't want her to feel any kind of way

02:37other than great about it because I felt great about it.

02:40So it actually became the first time that I slid into someone's DMs.

02:44She appreciated it.

02:46And it's been a love fest between us since then.

02:49I'm inspired to share with my followers issues that mean a lot to me.

02:55And hopefully, I hope that it would bring some awareness to others

02:59because once you're aware, then you can make choices

03:02about whether you want to get involved or no.

03:05But it means a great deal to me because I come from a beginning

03:08where there wasn't a lot.

03:11So I appreciate the helping hand and the help that I've received from others.

03:16It's made all the difference in the world to me.

03:21Sometimes you just have to drown out the noise on the Internet.

03:25You have to shut it down, close it off, replenish yourself

03:28so that you're strong and you're ready to take on the next challenge

03:33of your life, of your day.

03:34You stay sane, you stay centered, you listen to that intuition.

03:41It's there for a reason to say, whoa, whoa, whoa, this way.

03:47This is my guide to style.

03:51I think maybe I could learn a great deal from Queen Ramonda

03:55about how to carry herself.

03:57You know the queen, she has the best, the best of the best.

04:00A lot of those costumes were made by hand in India.

04:04The Ichigoi, the crown, and President Mitchell's personal style.

04:09Of course, the power suit, be it gray, be it blue, maroon,

04:14nice string of pearls, roll earrings, comfortable heel,

04:19but a little something to give her a little height.

04:21Nice, broad, strong shoulders, and one button.

04:25I've never been one to sort of look at what others are wearing.

04:33It's always about what looks best on me.

04:35You know, I have that classic physique.

04:37I am a, for real, colored girl,

04:40which means I have a small chest, small waist,

04:42and a great amount of history.

04:44So, yes, it has to fit me.

04:46It has to make me feel confident.

04:48As you can see, I do like color.

04:50When I feel sassy and I feel funky, I know I've found one.

04:54I've had many great looks,

04:56but I think a real fun look that was unexpected for me

04:59was the look for the first Black Panther.

05:03It was this yellow, fringy jumpsuit.

05:07I thought it was a dress initially,

05:08but put it on a little see-through, a little shimmy.

05:13Boy, did everyone enjoy that, especially me.

05:17Thank you so much for watching.

05:18Be sure to check out my Town and Country cover.

05:24We'll see you next time.

Angela Bassett’s Guide to Acting, Celebrating Your Body & Drowning Out the Noise | Town & Country

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