Angela Bassett's Notorious slap

13 February 2009 02:21pm

Angela Bassett has revealed she found it hard to slap Notorious star Jamal Woolard for the film.

The 50-year-old ER actress plays Notorious BIG's mother, Voletta Wallace, in a new biopic of the rapper's life, while Jamal plays the late hip-hop star.

Angela said: "It was lovely because Jamal was so positive, so up for the challenge. He's just a new, fresh perspective.

"In one scene, Ms Wallace slaps him when he said that he wanted to be a young rapper, and he really wanted me to slap him.

"It took 15 takes. He said, 'go for the way you do it in the movies'. I think that looked more real than a real slap did, but bless his heart. I told him, 'I don't even slap people in my dreams! I just don't do it', but there was something liberating about it."

The actress feels the story of the late rapper's life is very inspiring.

She said: "Even though his life was taken away too early and too young, he had all that potential and all that possibility. It was a great gift and talent.

"He found his talent and it wasn't to deal drugs. His talent was that of a poet, an artist, and he was blessed enough to find it. It was a short life, but it was a rich, full life. I think he embraces humanity of others. It wasn't about dragging himself down, but about pulling himself up, and giving his best to it."

Notorious is released on February 13.

© The Press Association