Everyone’s talking about Angela Bassett’s Oscar loss. All the other nominees in that category (best supporting actress) smiled and stood for the winner, while Angela Bassett remained seated with a frozen look on her face.
She couldn’t hide her shock and disappointment.
Some say she was a poor sport. A sore loser. But I don’t think so.
Everyone Told Her She’d Win
Angela got so caught up in people telling her she’d win that she believed it. It didn’t happen and she was stunned. She sat motionless. She didn’t clap, smile or frown. Just a frozen face of shock.
Angela Bassett has never come across as arrogant, rude or a poor sport in any interviews. Quite the opposite–she’s always polite, down to earth and humble, often recognizing her faith in God for her successful career.
She did interviews weeks and days leading up to the Oscars. Interviewers were excited about her nomination. It’s the first time a Marvel actor was nominated for an Oscar. Interviewers never failed to remind her that she didn’t win an Oscar for her role as Tina Turner back in 1994 so this time surely she’d win.
Gayle King asked her, “Do you know what you’re wearing? May I recommend that you wear purple?”
And sure enough, Angela wore a beautiful purple gown. She might have already picked it out prior to Gayle’s suggestion but still all the questions and suggestions and predictions that she’d win surely got in her head.
It’s A Big Deal Just To Be Nominated
When it came down to it, Academy members voted, and Jamie Lee Curtis won.
Some actors have been nominated for an Oscar up to eight times and never won. And of course most actors never even get nominated.
Susan Lucci was nominated 18 times for an Emmy. She lost 18 times. Can you imagine being nominated and losing 18 times? She finally won when she was nominated for the nineteenth time.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement when people are happy for you, but if you’re not careful you end up focusing on what they’re saying instead of staying grounded.
Staying grounded says: I might win and that would be great…but I might not and that’s ok. I’ve already won because God has given me a great career in acting.
You have to tune people out, even when their motives are good. Stay grounded. Be thankful. Rise above all the noise.
Angela Bassett’s Oscar loss is really not a loss. Nor was she robbed of an Oscar as some believe. It’s a blessing to simply be nominated.