Angela Bassett Reveals Shock and Disappointment Over Losing Oscar to Jamie Lee Curtis in 2023

Angela Bassett reflected on her disappointed reaction after she lost an Oscar to Jamie Lee Curtis in 2023.

The actress, 65, admitted she was ‘gobsmacked’ over the loss but she thought she ‘handled it very well’ in a new interview with Oprah, despite the fact her crestfallen reaction went viral after the ceremony. 

Bassett was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, while Curtis won for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

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Winfrey said she was shocked about Angela’s loss, with the actress agreeing. ‘I just knew your name was gonna be called. And then, when they didn’t, I was beside myself! We were beside ourselves in our house,’ Winfrey said.

‘I was gobsmacked!’ Angela concurred. ‘It was, of course, a supreme disappointment, and disappointment is human, so … yes, I was disappointed, and I handled it like a human being,’ she added. 

Angela Bassett reflected on her disappointed reaction after she lost an Oscar to Jamie Lee Curtis in 2023, and admitted she was ‘gobsmacked’ over the loss in a new interview 

The actress, 65, said she thought she ‘handled it very well’ during a sit-down with Oprah, despite the fact her crestfallen reaction went viral after the ceremony; Curtis pictured winning

At the time Angela was slammed after pulling a sour face and refusing to clap for Jamie after she beat her to the Best Supporting Actress gong.

However during the interview Oprah said she thought Angela ‘handled it very well.’

‘I thought I handled it very well also,’ the actress stated. ‘And that was my intention, was to handle it very well.’

‘I didn’t get the whole “Angela Bassett face,”‘ Oprah said. ‘I thought, wow, you can see that [you] expected another thing, but you were still as gracious as a queen would be.’

‘Absolutely. For myself and for my children, who were there with me, yes,’ Bassett replied.

‘I know a pastor who says, “technology is different – people are the same.”‘ There are going to be these moments of disappointment that they are going to experience.’

‘But how do you handle yourself in the midst of them? We’re going to smile, we’re going to be gracious, we’re going to be kind, we’re going to party, anyway.’

The star was branded a ‘sore loser’ and was unable to conjure up a smile after the loss – with the moment going viral.

‘I was gobsmacked!’ Angela concurred. ‘It was, of course, a supreme disappointment, and disappointment is human, so … yes, I was disappointed, and I handled it like a human being’

‘I didn’t get the whole “Angela Bassett face,”‘ Oprah said. ‘I thought, wow, you can see that [you] expected another thing, but you were still as gracious as a queen would be’

‘Absolutely. For myself and for my children, who were there with me, yes,’ Bassett replied

At the time Angela was slammed after pulling a sour face and refusing to clap for Jamie after she beat her to the Best Supporting Actress gong

Reaction: The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star looked visibly disappointed as an elated Curtis, 65, screamed at winning the first Oscar of her decades-long career 

Elated Curtis screamed at winning the first Oscar of her decades-long career for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Bassett, who was hoping to win Marvel Studios’ first ever acting Oscar after taking home the Golden Globe, was somber as Curtis took to the stage.

However many watching realized that fellow nominees Hong Chau, Kerry Condon and Stephanie Hsu applauded – asking why Bassett couldn’t grin and bear it.

Fans quickly took to social media to address her reaction with one writing: ‘Bassett is a fantastic actress. A shame she didn’t continue performing tonight and applaud when Jamie Lee won.

‘Everyone wants to win. However most won’t. That’s life. And sore loser is never a good look.’

Another quipped: ‘All you saying Angela Bassett should’ve won over Jamie lee… her reaction was poor sportsmanship.’ 

Following her 2023 loss, Bassett was named a recipient of an Honorary Award for her career at the 2024 Governor’s Awards.

Bassett was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; seen in a still

Curtis won for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once; seen in a still 

She was presented the honor from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by fellow actress Regina King, 52.

‘Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting,’ Academy representatives gushed in a press statement shared in June.

In the early 90s, she was Oscar nominated for her iconic portrayal of Tina Turner in the biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Her next Oscar nod didn’t come until she starred in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The nomination saw her become the first actor to be nominated for a Marvel Studios superhero movie.