Yahoo News Angela Bassett reveals just how intense her preparation was to play Tina Turner — and it was intense
Over her decades-long career Angela Bassett has developed a reputation for dedicating herself to her characterizations. And in a recent interview for the 30th anniversary of What's Love Got to Do With It, the two-time Oscar nominee reveals just how dedicated she is to the process.
Bassett portrayed the late Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic, co-starring Laurence Fishburne as her abusive husband Ike Turner. Bassett told Variety what she went through to do the Queen of Rock & Roll justice.
D Stevens/Buena Vista Pictures/Everett Tina Turner and Angela Bassett on the set of 1993's 'What's Love Got to Do With It'
Much has been made of the physical shape Bassett got into — her arms still inspiring across generations — a result of a hectic schedule that involved getting up at 5 a.m., working out for two-and-a-half hours, followed by 10 hours of dance rehearsals.
The Wakanda Forever actress thanked Turner for "fighting" for her to learn the routines in her bare feet as opposed to five-inch stilettos. As for her diet, when she had time to eat, Bassett was just as regimented.
Everett Collection; William Morrow and Company Left, Angela Bassett in 'What's Love Got to Do With It' and Tina Turner's autobiography, 'I, Tina'
"Broccoli, string beans, Yukon potatoes and bland chicken breast. That's what my trainer suggested for me. And black coffee and water," Bassett recalled. "Literally."
But beyond the physical aspect, Bassett was meticulous in learning Turner's mannerisms, sometimes spending nearly an hour on getting a single line right.
"I had a CD player where I could control how much of a phrase I could listen to at a time. So I put those on even when I was off. I'd be in my bed and I would play a phrase until I got it absolutely perfect," Bassett recalled. "Down to, 'Is she inhaling breath before she sings that note or is she exhaling afterwards?' How long is 'oh?' Where does 'oh' live in my body?" Is it in my heart? Is it in my gut? I might listen to that for 45 minutes until I felt I got it absolutely right."
For the most intense scene in which Tina is raped by Ike, Bassett relied on Fishburne to get her through the shoot. As a young, up-and-coming actress, she didn't feel comfortable or able to speak up for herself to her director about her limitations, but she felt she could confide in Fishburne, who was more established.
"So Laurence asked me, 'How many times you want to do this?' And I looked at him, he took my hand and I said, 'Four or five,'" Bassett said of the rape scene. "And then he told the director, like, 'Hey man, we're just going to do this four times. So let's make sure we get the cameras right and we're going to keep them outside of the studio.'"
For all her hard work, Bassett was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, but more importantly, she won Turner's approval.
"Maybe 20 years ago, we were together," the actress said of Turner, "and she took me aside and said, 'You played me so well. Thank you.'"
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