Angela Bassett is arguably one of the greatest actresses of all time. While I won't hold my breath for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to acknowledge her (although she briefly appeared on-screen at the Oscars in a short comedic feature) with one of those highly coveted gold statues, I do think she's deserved one for years.
Role after role, Bassett continues to prove that she's divinely talented. I asked her in an interview what her most iconic role to date was, and she said Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do With It. However, the iconic role she wants the most is about someone whose story has seldom been told: Bessie Coleman.
Bassett told me that she loves the story of Coleman, who in 1922 became the first black woman to earn a pilot's license. The schools in the United States denied her entry because of the obvious, so she taught herself French, moved to France and earned her license from Caudron Brothers' School of Aviation in seven months. Now, that's a role Bassett would slay in!
Check out the full interview and see who Bassett would cast as herself in her own biopic. Her choice is a personal favorite—and sure, I'm biased.
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