Angela Bassett’s Oscars Upset: 3 takeaways from that viral moment
By Char Miller // EEW Magazine Online// Faith & Entertainment
Getty/EEW Magazine
Fans of powerhouse actress, Angela Bassett, were sure their favorite was a shoo-in for a 2023 Academy Award after her moving performance as grieving Queen Ramonda in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
But when Jamie Lee Curtis snagged the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, and the camera captured what appeared to be Bassett’s disappointed face, Internet chatter reached fever pitch, making the moment viral.
(L-R): Danai Gurira as Okoye, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, and Florence Kasumba as Ayo in Marvel Studios' BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER. Courtesy of Eli Adé/Marvel Studios
The brilliant Black Panther star, 64, adorned in a purple Moschino gown, did not smile, clap, or stand to acknowledge the triumph of Curtis, 65. Because of this reaction—or lack thereof—she was immediately branded a “sore loser” with an outsized ego and unhealthy sense of entitlement by some of social media’s most vocal, self-appointed body language experts.
Though no one can definitively say exactly what was going through Bassett’s mind at the time, though she did appear sad, in a recent interview with CBS’ Gayle King, she said she doesn’t get too emotionally invested.
"Of course, in the moment you're hoping and praying and wishing, but I never walk away thinking I've been robbed,” Bassett explained. "That's too negative of an emotion to carry with me for the rest of my life. I choose to believe there was a reason why it didn't happen."
Though Bassett may avoid harboring negative emotions pertaining to Oscar losses, supporters of the woman who has blessed us with compelling performances since the1980s in films like Boyz in the Hood, What’s Love Got to Do with It, Waiting to Exhale, and more, are openly expressing anger, outrage, and frustration.
Many have wondered aloud how Bassett, who has been acting nearly 40 years, was good enough to earn Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) its first-ever Oscar nomination for acting — a major accomplishment in the superhero genre—but not good enough to take home the statue.
As fans process the Oscars upset, read think pieces about it, and fire off varied opinions, there are three important takeaways EEW Magazine Online is highlighting for your consideration.
#1 The Best Won’t Always Win. In the book of Ecclesiastes, the writer so eloquently states, “Here is something else I have learned: The fastest runners and the greatest heroes don't always win races and battles. Wisdom, intelligence, and skill don't always make you healthy, rich, or popular. We each have our own share of misfortune.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11 CEV)
In other words, what we think should happen doesn’t always; that’s just the way life works. While dreaming big is healthy so too is a daily dose of reality. Preparedness, talent, and perseverance do not guarantee favorable outcomes.
#2 Craving human accolades is a trap. Needing to receive validation from people is a setup for disappointment, low self-esteem, and disillusionment. Far too many fit the description found in John 12:43: “for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God” (ASV). If you need people’s cheers, awards, and recognition to feel worthy and inspired to keep going, you may as well quit now.
Seeking the praise of men rather than the glory of God is a costly error. We should all be motivated by the response of an audience of one.
#3 Stay humble and esteem others. Philippians 2:3 says, “Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves” (GNT). Culture teaches us to toot our own horn and see ourselves as the best. Scriptures teaches us to tout the achievements of others and even regard them as better than ourselves.
In essence, our time and energy should be spent on acknowledging, celebrating, and esteeming the gifts, achievements, and exceptional qualities of those around us. This keeps us humble and less inclined to feel slighted when the world doesn’t fall at our feet.
