Angela Bassett's Honorary Oscar: A Night of Tribute at the 14th Governors Awards
By Tierra Walker // Black Women // EEW Magazine Online
Angela Bassett receives an Honorary Oscar at the 14th Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2024. (Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Amid the dazzling whirl of Hollywood's awards season, the 14th Governors Awards offered a refreshing break, veering from the usual competitive bustle to honor the living legends of the film industry. The night was an emotional mix of laughter and tears, filled with heartfelt tributes to the honorees.
Among the luminaries, the phenomenal Angela Bassett stood out, receiving an honorary Oscar at the Ray Dolby Ballroom, mere steps away from where the Academy Awards will unfold in March.
The star-studded gathering witnessed a private dinner in the heart of Hollywood, where fellow actress Regina King lauded her "Boyz N the Hood" co-star, Bassett, 65, as "excellence in human form.”
Angela Bassett at the 14th Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2024. (Credit: Unique Nicole/FilmMagic/EEW Magazine)
The event was an exclusive, untelevised affair, but the audience was as glamorous as one could imagine, with noteworthy names like Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penélope Cruz, Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper, and Jon Batiste in attendance.
The annual event, organized by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was created to acknowledge contributions to the film industry and celebrate lifetime achievements. The event was originally part of the Oscars telecast, but in 2009 it was shifted to a separate occasion, providing freedom from time constraints on the speeches.
Angela Bassett and husband Courtney B. Vance (Credit: Michael Buckner for Variety)
The evening, hosted by John Mulaney, was laced with humor. He quipped about Bassett, saying "she got an Oscar nomination for a Marvel movie…that’s like getting a Pulitzer Prize for a Reddit comment.”
Bassett, the Christian actress who talks glowingly about her faith, gave an impassioned speech, talking about acting as not just a career but a calling. She declared the honorary Oscar as not just another award, but "a testament to my legacy." As Bassett delivered her speech, the audience, including Fantasia Barrino, stood in support, cheering her on at key moments.
The director of "The Color Purple", Blitz Bazawule, compared the emotional intensity of the event to a church service.
Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and her second last year for playing a grieving queen. Her legacy in the film industry, highlighted through this honorary Oscar, indeed makes her a symbol of excellence in human form.
View her full acceptance speech below.