Angela Bassett is reminding the world that love has everything to do with it.
The two-time Oscar nominee, who earned her first Academy nomination for portraying Tina Turner in the biopic “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” detailed the final words late rock icon Turner told her during the 1993 film. Laurence Fishburne portrayed Turner’s former husband and collaborator, Ike Turner.
The “River Deep, Mountain High” singer died May 24 at age 83 after suffering from a long illness.
“How do we say farewell to a woman who owned her pain and trauma and used it as a means to help change the world?,” Bassett said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). “Through her courage in telling her story, her commitment to stay the course in her life, no matter the sacrifice, and her determination to carve out a space in rock and roll for herself and for others who look like her, Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion, and freedom should look like.”
Bassett continued, “Her final words to me — for me — were, ‘You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.’ I shall hold these words close to my heart for the rest of my days. I am honored to have known Tina Turner. I am humbled to have helped show her to the world.”
The “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star added, “So on today, while we mourn the loss of this iconic voice and presence, she gave us more than we could have ever asked. She gave us her whole self. And Tina Turner is a gift that will always be ‘simply the best.’ Angels, sing thee to thy rest…Queen.”
Turner won eight Grammy Awards across her more than half-century-long career.
Bassett previously recalled the physical and emotional toll of transforming into Turner for the biopic film.
“We would do scenes over and over and over again,” Bassett said in 2022 of singing in character. “Those concert scenes, literally you feel like you have a sweater in your throat after performing, and we would do it [again] from top to bottom.”
The film captured the years of physical abuse Ike inflicted upon Tina; both Bassett and Fishburne received Oscar nominations for their performances.
