Angela Bassett On Her Start In Acting: “If You Aren’t Telling White Lies, You Don’t Want It Bad Enough”

So, when she sat down with Backstage Magazine, an entertainment and performer resource for actors, of course we couldn't help but to be intrigued.

And when discussing how Bassett received her SAG-AFTRA Card (Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or a popularized union of 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, radio personalities, recording artists, singers, voice actors, internet influencers, fashion models, and other media professionals worldwide), it was here that the 911 actress revealed that she had to get a little creative.

“They came to New York for this film, this little film—but it turned out to be a big film. It was called 'F/X', and I got cast in it. Then something happened, and there were 30 days between me being cast and me actually going to play Reporter No. 3—or was it Reporter No. 2? Because of that length of time, they had to give me my SAG card."

She continued:

“Of course, when I moved to L.A. and I had to come up with a résumé, I gave my character a name in 'F/X'. It was no longer Reporter No. 3; her name was Roberta. Why Roberta? Because I fell in love with Robert Townsend's film that was out at the time, his first film that he had done. I think I'd seen the film five times, so I was like, 'Roberta'!"

The interviewer then quips, “If you're not fibbing just a little on the résumé, you don't want it badly enough!" To which she shoots back:

“Yeah! And it was not a complete lie. I didn't say I could juggle!"

That’s how you go out here and get it!

And if you think she has any regrets about doing so, you'd be wrong AF. The interview ends with her being asked what advice she would give to her younger self, to which she said:

“Be even more fearless. Go when you want to go. Take chances. Know that you can do it all. Be bold and fearless."

See I told you: majestic and unproblematic.