Angela Bassett isn’t apologizing for her viral reaction after her Oscars 2023 loss to Jamie Lee Curtis.
Two years after facing criticism, the “Black Panther” star defended her “disappointed” facial expression in the moment as she reflected on the awards ceremony in an interview with Town & Country published Thursday.
“I found it interesting,” Bassett told the outlet. “Interesting that I wouldn’t be allowed to be disappointed at an outcome where I thought I was deserving.”
“I love applauding people. But in that moment…” she continued.
“I have put in: put in the time, put in good work over time. I didn’t think that was a gift. I thought it was a given,” the 66-year-old actress added.
Bassett was nominated at the Oscars that year in the best supporting actress category for her performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
However, Curtis took home the trophy for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” marking her first-ever Oscar win.
As the camera panned to the other nominees, including Kerry Condon, Hong Chau and Stephanie Hsu, Bassett appeared visibly upset by the result.
Fans were quick to defend the “Waiting to Exhale” star on social media at the time.
“Angela Bassett is allowed to be visibly disappointed that she didn’t win the Oscar,” one user wrote.
Another added, “I actually appreciate that Angela didn’t put on a face for the sake of being a ‘good sport.’”
The “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” actress — who has received two Oscar nominations in her decades-long career — received an honorary Academy Award in January 2024 for her contributions to the film industry.
In her acceptance speech, Bassett paid tribute to the Black actresses who came before her, including Ruby Dee, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Rosalind Cash.
“It was standing on their strong, spiritually fortified shoulders that I often was sustained, and I thank them for every sacrifice, every doubt, every disappointment, every rejection, every triumph that I know they experienced along the way,” she said, per People.
“Because had it not been for their resilience, continuing to fight through their fears and the uncertainty and their willingness as they fought for every role, I would not have had a representation of what was possible for me.”
