Profile: Angela Bassett

29 April 2008 03:39pm

Real Name: Angela Evelyn Bassett

Birth Date: August 16, 1958

Image: Talented US actress

Best Known For: Playing Tina Turner in the 1993 movie What's Love Got To Do With It

Early Life: Angela was born in New York but grew up in Florida. She became interested in performing while she was at school and soon began putting on shows for her family.

After she graduated from Yale University she started trying to land theatre roles. By the mid 1980s she was bagging stage parts, which led to a small role in 1986 movie F/X.

Angela's film debut didn't set her career alight but it cemented her interested in big screen success, so she moved to LA.

In 1991 she was cast in Boyz N The Hood, which brought her to the attention of Hollywood.

Career High: In 1994 Angela was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for What's Love Got To Do With It. She also won a Golden Globe for her performance.

Love Life: Angela married actor Courtney B Vance in 1997 and they have two-year-old twins, son Slater and daughter Bronwyn.

Don't Mention: The actress reportedly turned down the female lead in 2001 movie Monster's Ball - the part went to Halle Berry, who won critical acclaim and an Academy Award for her performance.

Words Of Wisdom: "I'm just so blessed to be able to do what I just love and have loved since I was a teenager, since I first found it, and to be encouraged by others for it."

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