June 26th 2023.
Angela Bassett recently opened up about her experience shooting the Oscar-nominated film "What's Love Got to Do With It" and the support she received from co-star Laurence Fishburne. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the film, Bassett sat down with Variety to share her memories.
At the time, Bassett was an up-and-coming actress excited to play the lead role of Tina Turner. The movie was based on Turner's autobiography "I, Tina," and it included a powerful scene of Ike Turner's sexual assault on Tina inside a recording studio.
The long 16-hour days of shooting took a toll on the cast and crew, and Bassett felt unable to speak up about the intensity of the scene due to her status as a "new actor." However, Fishburne, who had been acting since childhood, was a veteran on set and had the confidence to stand up for Bassett.
"He was strong, he was respectful," recalled Bassett. "He could bring order and he had discipline. When things got out of hand, he could bring some stoppage and clarity to the moment." She went on to explain how Fishburne was able to request that the director keep the cameras outside of the studio during the shooting of the assault scene, as she wasn't willing to do it "over and over."
Fishburne's support and advocacy for Bassett is a testament to his character and the impact of acting in unison. Bassett expressed her gratitude for his willingness to speak up and ensure that they were all able to get some rest for the next day. "And whereas I could not, as an up-and-coming actor to this white male British director, Laurence could say 'I think we got it. We got it.' And then we could all go home and get some rest to be ready for the next day."
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