Angela Bassett to Receive Honorary Oscar at Governors Awards

Angela Bassett
Photo by Rich Polk/NBC via Getty Images

Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton and Michelle Satter will receive honorary Oscars at this year's Governors Awards.

Angela Bassett is getting her long-awaited Oscar! 

Bassett was first nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993's What’s Love Got to Do With It? and the actress has been a prominent figure in Hollywood for the past 40 years -- garnering another Oscar nomination for her role in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

On Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Bassett, as well as Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton, will receive an honorary Oscar at this year's Governors Awards. The ceremony will also honor Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. 

The 14th annual Governors Awards is set to take place on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles.

"The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans," Academy President Janet Yang said in a press release. 

Highlighting each of the honorees, Yang continued, "Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A pillar of the independent film community, Michelle Satter has played a vital role in the careers of countless filmmakers around the world."

Bassett's career in film has been marked by stand-out roles in films such as Boyz N the Hood (1991); Black Panther and its sequel; Malcolm X (1992); How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998); Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018); and Soul (2020). 

When Bassett was nominated earlier this year for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, she made history as the first actor from a Marvel film to receive Academy Awards recognition. Bassett ended up losing the statuette to Jamie Lee Curtis, who won for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once

Micheal B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors were presenting the award for Best Cinematography, and before getting to their scripted material, Jordan nodded toward Bassett in the audience, and quietly shared, "Hey, Auntie," the line his character, Erik Killmonger, famously delivered to Bassett's Queen Ramonda in the first Black Panther film.

"We love you," Majors added, with a supportive smile.

A seven-time Emmy nominee, Bassett has also been revered for her work in television including The Jacksons: An American DreamThe Rosa Parks Story and American Horror Story. She has also been submitted for recognition for two 2023 Emmy Awards for 9-1-1 and narrating the documentary Good Night Oppy

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