Angela Attends Notorious Premiere

With one week to go before “Notorious” opens in movie theaters, the premiere was held at the AMC Lincoln Square in New York.

Angela, working the polka dots, attends the premiere with fellow cast mates and the who's who in the music industry, showing their love and

support for the late Notorious B.I.G. As the film release approaches, we are sure Angela will be doing more press, so stay tuned! For now, here are various interviews of Angela talking about her role in the film.

• What attracted her to the role? Watch rollingoutTELEVISION
• Want more insight on her use of Ms. Wallace’s Accent? Watch Access Hollywood
• Who does Angela think Christopher Wallace was? Watch BlackFilm.Com
• Why does Angela think rap music is so important to today’s youth? Watch ArtisanNewsService
  

Angela Promotes Notorious in New York

Notorious B.I.G. - Nobody Is Invincible

In preparation for the theatrical release of Notorious the cast including Angela traveled to New York last week for promotions. Above is a scene from the film between Angela Bassett and Jamal Woodard. Below are photos of Angie posing during a press junket and an interview and clip with Voletta Wallace.

One of the most challenging aspects of playing Wallace was getting down the Jamaican accent, Bassett said. "It took awhile," the actress admitted. "Some of it, I had to work on it, get it later."

"Certain parts of the script, I taped my voice, and I guess that's how she got my accent," Wallace said. "They sent me tapes, I sent her tapes. And I was on the set every day. So there was not a time when she said, 'Oh, Mrs. Wallace, how was that?' She didn't have to do that. We had lunch together a lot. We had breakfast one morning. We'd just chat, woman to woman, mother to mother. We had a nice rapport together."

Bassett says having Wallace watch her every day made her a little nervous, but she was also reassured. "It can be a little intimidating, because you hope you're getting it right," she said. "You hope you're meeting their standards. We all have a way of seeing ourselves, the truth of it as we wish it were. Some of us are real honest with ourselves. Some of us embellish it. Mrs. Wallace is a straight shooter. Any question I had, I could go right to her. Lean into it. It was like girlfriends.

Visit MTV.com for more clips and the full interview!

Nothing But the Truth: Movie Trailer and Poster

The power couple star in another project together! Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance play a Newspaper Editor in Chief and a CIA Director respectively in Rod Lurie's Nothing But the Truth. They both play the people in charge but on opposite sides of the issue. Be sure to catch this drama thats getting plenty of Oscar buzz in theaters on January 9th!










In Related AB News...

Rod Lurie Does the Right Thing

It’s not often in Hollywood that a director makes decisions based on his conscience as opposed to his wallet, but kudos to Rod Lurie for making the right choice.

Lurie, whose latest film “Nothing But the Truth” comes out Dec. 19, says that he purposely asked Oscar nominee Angela Bassett to be in this story about a D.C. reporter who serves time protecting her source to make the film more realistic.

“She’s really one of the world’s great actors,” Lurie said. “I’ll tell you this. I’ll be very truthful with you–maybe to my detriment. I wanted to cast a black actor in that role or some significant role because I wanted to have real-world diversity, but also what’s realistic is that in the Washington, D.C. prison it’s 95 percent African American. I thought it would be uncouth to have a movie where every African American is a guard or a prisioner. ”

Plus, even though newspapers aren’t the most diverse environment these days Lurie felt it would look unrealistic to not have an African American represented in a D.C. newsroom.

“I don’t personally know of any African American female editors, but I thought that it would be very cool to sort of fictionally, at least, break that barrier. Angela was very game with that, too. I think that’s another reason why she did it. I don’t know what her exact fee was but it wasn’t the Angela Bassett fee.”

The role was originally cast with Edie Falco of “The Sopranos” but she had scheduling conflicts. Joining Bassett in this project are the film’s star Kate Beckinsale, Bassett’s current “ER” costar Noah Wylie, her real-life husband Courtney B. Vance and Vera Farmiga.

Lurie, by the way, who also directed “Resurrecting the Champ” with Samuel L. Jackson, indicated he’d love to do a film on one of his old high school classmates from Hawaii. His name is Barack Obama.

Angela Shopping in Beverly Hills

Angela Bassett was caught by the paparazzi yesterday, shopping in Beverly Hills. She was working a Fendi bag and looking completely flawless. Be sure to catch her tonight in a special episode of ER on NBC!



Angela's Derriere?

I think the French are BassettHounds as well or maybe just fans of her behind! This soon to be released french film, A Christmas Tale, shows a dysfunctional family that lost a son in the past. When their other son comes home with a new girlfriend with some extra junk in the trunk, they say she looks like Angela Bassett through out the rest of the film! Below you can watch a clip from the movie including the Angela's derriere joke and an explanation from the director, Arnaud Desplechin!

I couldn't resist asking about something you reference twice in the film: Angela Bassett's ass. What inspired specifically hers for a recurring joke?

I mean, we are speaking about such an amazing lady. You have to be brave when you write such a line because you are trying to make a good joke, and in French, maybe no one will laugh because no one knows her. I'm an absolute fan of Angela Bassett. I think she's a great, great actress. In the biopics, she is so moving. She's very rare. It's something that doesn't happen that much, to see an actress inventing a new way of showing "woman" onscreen, and a new way of being beautiful. You remember this great film, a science fiction movie: "Strange Days"? Her beauty was new and shocking. Plus, I love her butt in "Vampire in Brooklyn," have you seen this film? Great film. Great butt. And her performance as Tina Turner? Beautiful legs, too.

Angela and Courtney Together on Small Screen

Check out an interview from this husband and wife acting team and find out how they like working together, and why Courtney will not run his lines with Angela.

Last week was the introduction of Courtney’s character, Russell Banfield. There is obviously some tension between the couple and it looks like this week's episode, "Heal Thyself," is going to shed some light on this situation. Angela’s character, Dr. Cate Banfield, rescues a three-year-old girl from drowning in a lake, which triggers flashbacks to their son having a stroke. He is taken to County where they come in contact with Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards). What seems to make Russell more upset than his son; is Cate acting like a doctor rather than a mother. Tune in BassettHounds to see how this story unfolds.

Here are some clips and well as behind the scenes footage from the upcoming episode "Heal Thyself" which airs this Thursday at 10/9c on NBC.

Angela's Beauty Secrets?

"Angela Bassett personifies the kind of woman who buys Olay products. She has ageless beauty and an aura of sophistication but she's also very likable and real, a very rare combination," said Brenda Blonski, senior vice president/group creative director at Burrell who handles Procter & Gamble's African-American marketing.

We all know Angela seems to get better with age, so is this her secret? Angela became the official spokesperson for Olay in 2005 and is still going strong with a new print ad for Quench body lotion. You can check out this ad in magazines such as Essence and Ebony. Below you can also see the commercial ads for Olay Definity and Olay Definity Eye Illuminator.

Angela and the Twins in Costume for Halloween!

Angela Bassett is the animal wrangler this Halloween season while her twins keep her busy as the animals. Slater is the cutest giraffe in the safari and Bronwyn is the fiercest flamingo!

Check out this months issue of EBONY Magazine. Angela's on the back cover looking lovely in lavender and modeling for Olay! Have fun BassettHounding!

Angela and Courtney Photos and More!

Photos of Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance from the episode "Heal Thyself"! Their very first TV appearance together is set to air on NBC November 6th! The couple, who celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary in Chicago filming another episode of ER, are producing a film called Erasure together. The film will star Courtney as a frustrated writer and marks Angela's directorial debut. Its still a mystery if she will star also or when production will begin but we will keep you updated, BassettHounds!




This is the official theatrical trailer for the movie Notorious. It looks like theres plenty that we dont know about the Notorious B.I.G. that they'll be revealing in the film. Including his affairs and unclaimed daughter, plus his friend that went to jail for him. I've got high hopes for this production...

One question though: wheres the Jamaican accent, Angela? That was the high point of my excitement for this film! Check for it in theaters, 1-16-09!

Angie B is on Tonight!

Angela honors the late Sonja Davis at the Diamond in the Raw Stuntwomen Luncheon...


Sonja Davis stunt doubled for many leading African American actresses in Hollywood, included Angela Bassett. Sonja Davis opened the doors for many stuntwomen to follow in her career path. Her untimely death was a major loss to the stunt community and to the entertainment industry. Tragically, Ms. Davis succumbed to traumatic head injuries from a high fall on the set of “Vampire in Brooklyn.” Ms. Bassett payed tribute to the legacy of Sonja Davis by presenting The Gone But Not Forgotten Award to her loved ones. OBAMA 08!

Who wears short shorts?
The Queen wears short shorts! I know I'm cheesy but I love these photos! Angela shows off her American pride (and those amazing legs) in Italian Vogue! OBAMA 08!

Angela Bassett is urging you to vote early! As part of a campaign to get Black Americans in the polls early, celebrities (including Brandy, LisaRaye, and Angela) have recorded PSAs in hopes of "avoiding voter suppression and confusion at the polls." Read more at [CNSNews.com]

Listen or Download Angela's PSA recording here!
You know Angela's voting for...OBAMA 08!

Catch Angie B on these shows Tonight!

• Watch the preview of the movie Notorious on the BET Hip Hop Awards 8pm BET
  (if you like spoilers: one of the lines in the clip is Angela as Biggie's mom asking "What kind of grown [expletive] man calls himself Puffy?")

• ER 15.4 Parental Guidance- Dr. Banfield's morning workouts come in handy when she has to defend herself from a robber 10pm NBC

ER Video: Angela Bassett's First Episode

Angela Bassett's premiere episode on ER airs this coming Thursday, October 9! Lets show our support and tune in, BassettHounds!

Plus: Maura Tierney talks about working with Angela on ER!

More AB News:

• Angela talks ER, working with her husband, not working with Mekhi Phifer, and growing up in Florida at [TampaBay.com]

• Angie B will appear on The View this Thursday also talking with the ladies about her new TV gig! Be sure to catch that interview [ABC.com]

• Its rumored that Angie B is signed on to another 2009 movie project called Mama Black Widow. According to Wikipedia.org, Angela says playing the lead character, Mama Tilson, would "be the role of a lifetime. You don't find stories of this caliber very often mainly because studios are afraid of them." We'll let you know if we hear more! Keep BassettHounding!