Angela Bassett opens up about losing Austin Butler at the Oscars

Angela Bassett recently reflected on when she supported fellow Oscar nominee Austin Butler with a sweet gesture at the 2023 awards show last month.

On Thursday, Bassett penned a tribute to Butler, who was named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023 list. The ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ actor, who was seen at the ceremony holding hands with Butler as her category was announced, said in the Time essay that she “intimately understands” what he felt at that time.

Butler was nominated for Best Actor for his role as Elvis Presley in “Elvis.” He lost the Oscar to Brendan Fraser, who won for his performance in “The Whale.”

“I took his hand and held it gently as the winner was announced,” she said. “Although his name hasn’t been called, Austin is a winner nonetheless.”

“It was time for Austin to say goodbye to Elvis as he began to embrace an endless universe of possibilities as an actor,” she continued. “I can’t wait to see what he brings us next.”

Elsewhere in her essay for Time, Bassett explained that she identified with Butler’s experience portraying an iconic figure in a biopic. “You walk away from this forever changed set,” she said.

Indeed, one of Bassett’s most revered roles was her Oscar-nominated performance portraying Tina Turner for the 1993 film, “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”

Many Bassett fans were disappointed that the actor didn’t win Best Actress at the 1994 Academy Awards.

Fans were once again appalled on this year’s show when she lost the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress to Jamie Lee Curtis for her role in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Ounce”.

Bassett received a nod for playing Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”