In case you’ve forgotten for some odd, inexcusable reason, here’s a friendly reminder: Angela Bassett is a legend.
The Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor proved why in a March interview with The Root, during which she was asked on the spot to perform part of any monologue she can recall. Bassett, who got her start in classical theater at the Yale School of Drama and in August Wilson productions, has made a name for herself on screens big (“What’s Love Got to Do With It”) and small (“American Horror Story”). But a theater-trained actor always remembers her roots. After a brief, uncertain pause, Bassett launched into a spine-tingling delivery of a speech from “Macbeth.”
READ: “How Shakespeare Can Make You a Better Actor”
Watch Bassett transform completely into Lady Macbeth in the video below. The sudden, chilling confidence, the mastery of her deep voice, the way she spits out William Shakespeare’s words as if they’re second nature—it’s a tour de force mini-performance, a glimpse into the craft of an actor so talented, she seems to electrify the air around her. Who wouldn’t kill to see her headline a production of “Macbeth”? Just watch, and bask in the brilliance of Bassett:
Want to slay your next monologue? Try The Monologuer, then check out our theater audition listings!