Actress Angela Bassett has always been a distinct onscreen presence with her sharp beauty, soothing voice, and powerhouse vibe. Though the new generation of movie-goers knows her as Queen Ramonda from the blockbuster Marvel flick Black Panther, Bassett has been in the acting scene since the ‘80s. Here are a few iconic roles of the actress, where she was undeniably regal without donning a queen’s costume.

Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993)

Playing the role of musical powerhouse Tina Turner wasn’t an easy deal, but Angela Bassett made it look effortless! Though she didn’t do her own singing in the biopic, the actress brilliantly portrayed all the ups and downs of Turner’s life as well as perfectly captured her signature dance moves. Bassett put a lot of work into the physically and emotionally demanding role, from two hours of weightlifting to 10 hours of cardio and choreography. All her hard work paid off as Bassett secured a Golden Globe and even an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Bernadine Harris in Waiting to Exhale (1995)

This ‘90s movie is about an enjoyable story of romantic perseverance and female friendship, with a killer soundtrack by 12-time Grammy winner Kenneth Edmonds. Angela Bassett starred in the movie as Bernadine Harris, a woman reeling from the shocking announcement of divorce from her husband. After spending years working out the marriage, and putting her dreams aside, Bernadine’s reactions were truly understandable and relatable, thanks to Bassett’s powerful performance.

Stella Payne in How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Angela Bassett excelled in playing a mature woman finding love and embracing her best self in this charming rom-com. She played Stella Payne, a 40-year-old single mother and successful stockbroker, who met and fell in love with handsome, but 20 years younger, Winston Shakespeare on a vacation in Jamaica. The role of Winston was played by then-debutant Taye Diggs. The two actors sparked some serious onscreen chemistry on the backdrop of a lovely beachside setting. Critics called the movie “beautiful” and the performances “seamless.”

Tanya Anderson in Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

This inspirational family drama tells a story of a young gifted girl Akeelah and her struggles to compete in a national spelling bee. In the movie, Angela Bassett played Tanya Anderson, the widowed mother of 11-year-old Akeelah. Tanya was initially skeptical about the whole endeavor of the spelling bee, out of her protectiveness for her daughter. Bassett admitted that she loved playing the character, who finally overcame her doubts and fears. Through her child, Tanya gained some measure of positivity and courage herself.

Carol Walker in Otherhood (2019)

This film is a lighthearted take on mature motherhood, featuring three powerhouse actresses- Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman. In the movie, the three women bonded in navigating the challenge of being mothers to grown-up sons. The movie depicts a tricky time in women’s life, redefining their identities and experiencing the empty nest syndrome once their children become adults. Thanks to the powerful performances of the trio, the portrayal was honest, relatable, and graceful. Mainly, Bassett served up some iconic no-nonsense vibes.

The comedienne Rosie O’Donnell was recently involved in an awkward encounter with actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer Nick Jonas during a visit to Nobu in Malibu. After a case of mistaken identity, the comedienne then publicly apologized to the couple by posting a video on TikTok. But when her apology resulted in another series of criticism, she had to resort to posting a second video to straighten everything up.

The Encounter

According to Rosie O’Donnell, she recently went to Nobu with her son, his girlfriend, and Fran Drescher. There she met the Jonas couple, who were seated beside the group. As the 59-year-old comic artist always assumed that actress Priyanka Chopra is related to author Deepak Chopra, she brought the topic up while speaking to them. After congratulating Nick for his performance in Kingdom, she turned to Priyanka and told that she knows her father well. After concluding that O’Donnell meant the famed author Deepak Chopra, Priyanka replied to O’Donnell that she was not related to the author and ‘Chopra’ is a common Indian-origin surname. Priyanka Chopra’s father is actually Dr. Ashok Chopra, who passed away in June 2013.

The Double Apology

After the awkward incident, the former View co-host issued a direct apology to the pair by posting a video on TikTok. There she revealed that she has been under the belief that Nick Jonas is married to author Deepak Chopra’s daughter. Then she mentioned the encounter and apologized to the couple. But in the video O’Donnell addressed Priyanka as “someone Chopra” and “the Chopra wife,” which enraged the fans and viewers. They appreciated Rosie O’Donnell for owning up to her mistake but suggested that she should Google the Matrix Resurrections star before making the video. The comedienne then issued a second video on TikTok recognizing Priyanka this time as a very well-known and successful actress.