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.
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