Inside Angela Bassett's Heartbreaking Childhood

The following article includes allegations of sexual assault.

Adored actor Angela Bassett is regarded as a Hollywood icon. Her breakthrough role as Tina Turner in the critically acclaimed biopic, "What's Love Got to Do with It," earned Bassett an Academy Award nomination and catapulted the actor to superstardom. Renowned for her versatility, she has embodied a spectrum of characters in films as wide-ranging as "Malcolm X," "The Score," and "Black Panther." 

Going beyond acting, Bassett stands as a prominent advocate for a number of noteworthy causes, including diabetes awareness and better inclusivity in the entertainment industry. While she has secured a career filled with accolades, Bassett's life includes several tragic details too, many of which relate to her heartbreaking childhood.

She was born to parents Betty Jane and Daniel Bassett in New York City, in 1958. However, their relationship did not last long and ultimately resulted in the family being split up for years. But sadly, even once her parents came back into her life, there was still trouble, which caused plenty of turmoil in Bassett's early years. 

Angela Bassett was sent to live with her father's sister, Aunt Golden, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the age of just ten months old. As a little girl, Bassett attempted to view Golden as a motherly figure — something she would not allow, as the actor explained to People in 2018: "I always tried to call my auntie 'Mom.' You know when you're a baby, you look for father, mother. And I would go, 'Mommy.' But she was always clear with me, 'I'm not your mom. You have a mommy. I'm not your mommy.' She was very clear. She didn't try to take that role." 

Golden raised Bassett until she was nearly five years old, until Betty Jane Bassett came back into her life and took the little girl to St. Petersburg, Florida, to live with her and Angela's younger sister, D'nette. Still, even after she and her mom reunited, there was some tension between them. The "Black Panther" star claimed that Betty Jane was very strict, placing a strong emphasis on her daughter being successful. 

As she revealed to People, "My mother had a lot of pride in how you show up and carry yourselves. And set high standards. Sometimes too highly. I've had people say, 'You must of had a critical mother because you're tough on yourself.' But, yeah, she set high standards." Despite this, Angela credited Betty Jane with protecting her after a terrifying sexual assault years later.

Angela Bassett's life took a devastating turn at age 12 when her mother's boyfriend allegedly molested her. While speaking with the Daily Mail, during the 2019 Rape Foundation Annual Brunch in Beverly Hills, the two-time Oscar nominee described the life-changing moment. "My mother's boyfriend one night came into my room and fondled my breast, and I woke up," she recalled, adding, "Fortunately, it was not a complete assault, it was fondling, but it was devastating enough for a child who was 12 or 13." 

The actor continued, "And thankfully, to have a mother who I could tell as soon as light broke, that this happened, and for her to expel him. That she heard me, believed me, and did something about it, was so empowering for me as a young teen, as a young woman." Years later, while in college, Bassett tried to forge a relationship with her father, who'd been absent for most of her life. However, this proved disastrous. 

During one alarming visit, he tried to kiss her in a decidedly non-fatherly way. "When he did that, I was just angry, and angry at myself that I didn't slap the [bleep] out of him," Bassett told More magazine in 2007 (via Today). These instances contributed to Bassett and her husband, Courtney B. Vance, teaching their children, Bronwyn And Slater, about consent early. Fortunately, despite a challenging upbringing, Bassett emerged as a prominent figure in TV and film.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).