Courtney B. Vance Shuts Down Trolls Disappointed His Wife Angela Bassett Didn’t Applaud Jamie Lee Curtis After Losing 2023 Oscars
If anyone’s going to have Angela Bassett’s back it’s her husband, Courtney B. Vance.
Last week, the actress opened up about losing the 2023 Best Supporting Actress Award to Jamie Lee Curtis. Bassett was nominated in the category for her role as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and Curtis was up for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
As if the loss wasn’t already enough, Bassett was torn apart by viewers and the media for her somber reaction after Curtis’ name was called. She sat with a devastated look without clapping for Curtis which many deemed as poor sportsmanship.
Last week, she unapologetically doubled down on that disappointment and even spoke about the backlash she got from it.
“I found it interesting. Interesting that I wouldn’t be allowed to be disappointed at an outcome where I thought I was deserving,” Bassett said. “I love applauding people.”
“But in that moment…” she continued, “No, I have put in, put in the time, put in good work over time. I didn’t think that was a gift. I thought it was a given.”
Vance came in like a knight in shining armor to support his wife’s statements.
On Feb. 26 he spoke to “Refinery 29 Unbothered” and said,
“Anybody who’s ever sat and waited for the first syllable of their name to be called and not heard it, it’s unnatural to applaud, especially since this was the second time it happened to her … just like this 30 years ago.”
He added, “She’s human. Leave her alone.”
“The Preacher’s Wife” star is referencing when Bassett received her very first Oscar nomination in 1994 for her portrayal of Tina Turner in “What Love Got To Do With It.” The category was for Best Actress, and many people believe that she should have gotten her first Oscar win then. However, she lost to Holly Hunter for her film “The Piano.”
So many had hoped the Oscars would award Bassett in 2023 but ultimately that did not happen. Instead they gave her an Honorary Oscar last January.
Unlike the big Oscars ceremony, the Honorary Oscars is not a competition show. Individuals are selected and according to the website, the awards are “given for extraordinary lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the motion picture arts and sciences of any discipline, or outstanding service to the Academy.”
Fans reacted to Vance defending Bassett. One person said, “He don’t play about Miss Angela.”
Another wrote, “He said what he said. Periodtt.”
“Absolutely stand up for your wife,” said a third.
With two devastating losses, Bassett’s husband believes it’s understandable why his wife would be upset.
Advocating for her right to have these emotions, Vance said, “So she’s human. That’s all. Leave her alone.”
When asked why it’s important for him to support his wife, he said, “Because we are one. Her success is mine. Mine is hers. And the children saw that, and now they know what to do out there in this crazy world.”
Bassett and Vance have been married since October 1997. They share 19-year-old twin children, daughter Bronwyn Golden and son Slater Josiah, whom they welcomed via surrogate after years of unsuccessful fertility treatments.
