Black Panther's Angela Bassett Reveals "Supreme Disappointment" Over Oscar Loss

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Angela Bassett talked about that wild Oscars moment from 2023. The Queen Ramonda actress lost out on Best Supporting Actress to Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once. It was a shocking moment, and Bassett talked to Oprah about it during the latest OWN Spotlight. There was no mistaking a small moment of disappointment on the star's face when the winner was announced. But, she remained very professional and didn't try to make a lot out of it. Bassett characterized her response as "human" and wanted to remain composed "for myself and for my children who were there with me." Despite the relative poise, he moment garnered some discussion on social media.

"I was gobsmacked! I was," Bassett admitted. "I thought I handled it very well. That was my intention, to handle it very well. It was, of course, a supreme disappointment, and disappointment is human. So I thought, yes, I was disappointed and I handled it like a human being."

"There are going to be these moments of disappointment that you'll experience, but how do you handle yourself in the midst of them?" The actress continued. "We're going to smile, we're going to be gracious, we're going to be kind, we're going to party anyway."

Bassett Was Setting Up For An Oscars Moment

Marvel Studios and the fans took a lot of pride in Bassett's nomination. Every week on social media, it feels like there's some kind of fight about Marvel's place in the cinematic landscape. The company is both the death of real cinema and some manner of "underachiever" depending on the hour of the day. But, back when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever came out, there was real thought that Basset could do the unthinkable. She penned a letter thanking everyone for the support and loving her work in the Black Panther franchise.

"This morning is a little extra special in the Bassett Vance household with news of my Oscar nomination. What has drawn me to each of the women I've portrayed throughout my career is their strength, compassion, resilience, and power," Bassett said last year. "Wakanda Forever's Queen Ramonda is a character that touched my spirit because she is a mother and a leader who must care for her grieving nation as much as she cares for her family in mourning." 

"Ramonda is a love letter that reflects and acknowledges what we women do everyday. There was so much to unpack as an actress because it's brilliant storytelling, alongside a wealth of talent in front of and behind the camera. I'm thankful to the Academy for including me amongst a wonderful group of actresses," she would add. "I look forward to March 12 as we cheer for and celebrate with one another."

The Loss of Queen Ramonda

Bassett's performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever literally shook the table. Fans walked out of the theater without a single question of who had the most impactful scene in the film. The actress was conflicted about the choice to kill off Queen Ramonda. She told IndieWire that there was some back-and-forth about it. The director emphasized that the loss wouldn't be forever. So, there's a possible return at some point to look forward to. But, the loss was so acute in the first months after the film premiered.

That decision to have her character die was hotly debated at the time. The Queen Ramonda actress went right up to Ryan Coogler. "I objected," Bassett said in a previous interview. "Yeah, I was like, 'Ryan [Coogler], what are you doing? Why? You will rue the day! You will rue the demise of [Ramonda]. People are gonna be so upset.' ... He was like, 'Angela, I know, I know, but look, to die is not really to die in this world. It doesn't really have to mean that.'" 

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