While it’s true that Angela Bassett can absolutely kill any role she gets, there’s talk of a coveted one that she reportedly turned down in the “X-Men” franchise years ago that’s currently resurfacing on social media and causing a bit of commotion! And it’s for a very good reason.
For context, there’s been much chatter online as to who could possibly portray the role of Storm in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as of late. Those conversations were most recently kicked off by “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo who expressed her desire to play the character at the top of January. Just a week ago “She’s Gotta Have It” star DeWanda Wise also threw her hat in the ring for the role.
But now, thanks to a handful of now viral videos on TikTok, many people are calling for MCU star Bassett to take on the role while expressing their displeasure at Halle Berry being cast all those years ago. What makes this whole thing more interesting is that, according to an interview from 2017 with David Hayter, the scribe who penned the screenplays for the first two X-Men films, Bassett was actually their first choice but her team allegedly passed on it due to monetary reasons.
“Angela Bassett was our first choice for Storm, but her agents wanted more money than we had at the time. Same with Rachael Leigh Cook for Rogue,” Hoyet told The Hollywood Reporter at the time.
But that was then and this is now. And right now, fans are making a strong case for Bassett and saying that she would’ve been the better Storm back then and could still be one day.
Angela Bassett Not Being Storm Is a “Generational Fumble”
According to user rinroselia on TikTok, they argued that Bassett would’ve given viewers “Storm realness” had things worked out differently years ago. In order to work her in, the user suggested that they should’ve just aged up the role and made Storm into more of a mentor figure and for the rest of the superherous.
“Angela Bassett could’ve turned the Halle Berry Storm into an iconic, generational character,” the user argued.
Angela Bassett Playing Storm Would’ve Been Closer to the Comics Due to Her Darker Skin
As user Jeannine Da Bean noted, Storm was originally created in the comics as a darker skinned woman (mutant?) with ice white hair and more African features. On the contrary, Berry is noticeably not dark-skinned and has more Eurocentric features, which made her a puzzling choice for more fans of the franchise. What’s more is that the user argued that the choice to put Berry in the role as opposed to someone darker, only adds to the mounting examples of dark-skin erasure in TV/films when it comes to Black women characters.
“As a dark skinned Black woman, it’s really hurtful to see that people who look like me, women who look like me are not seen as desirable or beautiful or powerful. That we’re always swapped out for the lightskinned Black woman or the biracial Black woman with the kinky, cute curls and the European features. Like it’s sad to me that Storm has yet to be played by a dark skinned Black actress,” she said.
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Angela Bassett’s Overall Presence Effortlessly Screams Storm
User respectmynerdz on TikTok argued that Bassett would’ve done the role justice just based off the silent strength and depth the actress brings to the role. But unfortunately, due to Hollywood’s alleged proclivity to put the most attractive woman at the time in major roles, Bassett missed out. However, the user maintains that the “Black Panther” star has the looks and the talent to take the role to the level it should’ve been on.
“I think Angela probably would’ve had more of that Storm-ness energy that you need because she can make her presence felt on-scene without having to do too much,” he said. “And unfortunately for the Storm character, they always nullify her because...if they let Storm just go all out and be what Storm can be, she would outshine the f*ck out of a lot of the other X-Men because of her f*cking powers.”
If you think about it, Bassett could definitely be an older Storm considering the fact that they killed off her character in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Maybe this would be a good way to revive her and give her the role she arguably should’ve gotten a long time ago.