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Angela Bassett Finally Wins Her First Emmy For National Geographic‘s “Queens”

BY Dora Abena Dzaka September 15, 2024 9:49 AM EDT
Photo Credit: @Angela Bassett

Even though Angela Bassett is one of the most well-known actresses of all time, she has yet to get many accolades and recognition in her career. 

On Saturday, September 7, Bassett received her first Emmy Award for her work on National Geographic‘s Queens.

The actress was nominated for the best narrator category at the Creative Arts Emmys.

In her acceptance speech, “Angela Bassett said: “It feels good; really, really good. Thank you to National Geographic, Wild Star Film, and all the directors, all women, who brought this incredible story, this incredible documentary centered on the ferocious and magnificent things in the animal kingdom. I couldn’t be more thrilled and more grateful.”

Bassett is said to have said no to the project at first in a previous interview, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

She stated, “It was summertime. It had been a long season because work is such an endless roller coaster, I was looking forward to my vacation, family time, and rest. However, they then contacted me again and sent me the sizzle reel. 

At that point, I decided to give it my whole focus for a while to figure out the specifics of the project. It didn’t pass me by after I completed it.

Bassett told the outlet that the all-female production team of the seven-part series Queens is “one of the big draws and highlights.” 

READ ALSO: Girl Power: Angela Bassett, Other Stars Set To Narrate National Geo’s Monumental “Natural History” Series

The show is a narrative of animal matriarchies around the world. “We don’t work for these, but we receive them for all the hard work that we do.”

Bassett remarked in the press room after winning an Emmy:

“Of course, it’s not work that you do alone, even though it’s a narration, but there’s a whole team that pursued me and believed in me, fought for me, and worked with me to tell this amazing story of females in the wild kingdom, led by an all-female-led production team, a first in wildlife documentary filmmaking. So that was pretty inspiring to me in and of itself.”

In all, Angela Bassett has received a total of nine Emmy nominations, including a 2023 nomination for best narrator for her work on Good Night Oppy.

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