In a memorial to Butler, Bassett wrote, “On the night of the Oscars, with Austin seated next to me, I understood intimately what he felt when it was time to learn if he would climb those stairs to the stage.” During the 2023 Oscars, Angela Bassett and Austin Butler shared a supporting moment.
Butler and fellow contender Bassett, who was seated right next to him, were seen holding hands while the award for best actor was being given out. It was a time when, according to Bassett, she “understood intimately what he felt.”
Oscar Night
As part of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023 series, the Oscar nominee wrote a tribute to Butler in which she remembered on the poignant occasion as well as the moment they found out Butler did not win (Brendan Fraser went on to win the award for best actor in The Whale).
When it came time to find out if Austin would ascend those stairs to the stage on Oscars night, Bassett writes, “I understood intimately what he felt with Austin seated next to me.” “So, as the winner was announced, I grasped his hand and gently squeezed it. Austin is still a winner even though his name wasn’t called.
Bassett says, “The time had come for Austin to say goodbye to Elvis as he began to embrace an infinite universe of possibilities as an actor,” in more reflection on his name not being called for the Oscar triumph. I am eager to see what he will bring us next.
Bassett Received Oscar Nomination
In a previous passage of her eulogy, Bassett claims that it was “fortunate” that she met the actor and became friends with him during the hectic awards season, just as they were “both starting to find our grooves.”
“We bonded for a brief second, one of many times when we would exchange hugs and encouraging remarks. Austin welcomed new acquaintances into his heart despite everything that was going on around him. I was lucky enough to be one of them, writes Bassett. For her performance of Tina Turner in the 1993 film What’s Love Got to Do with It, Bassett received an Oscar nomination. Bassett notes that she saw the movie “with a deep appreciation for all the work” Butler put into his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Elvis.
Angela Bassett In Black Panther
A lot goes into an actor becoming an icon; she continued, “We recreate pieces of their story while presenting a perspective on the artist rather than claiming to be them. “You leave that set having changed permanently. When people see the movie, you hope they won’t see you but rather an artist’s journey via a different perspective. With a superbly nuanced performance, Austin achieved this. For her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Angela Bassett received her second career Oscar nomination prior to the event; nevertheless, Jamie Lee Curtis won best supporting actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
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