Angela Bassett Did the Thing (And She Knows It)

“Angela Bassett did the thing.” It’s the one lyric from Ariana DeBose’s viral rap performance at the BAFTA Awards that still has the internet in a chokehold after a week. I’m not going to lie — not an hour goes by where I don’t randomly blurt out the line and sometimes bust into DeBose’s little dance, too.

During the 2023 NAACP Image Awards, the highly-memed line came full circle as the Angela Bassett accepted her Entertainer of the Year award, jokingly saying, “I guess Angela Bassett did the thing.”

The crowd, who more than likely couldn’t escape the performance or the hilarious reactions comprising their timelines and feeds, naturally erupted in applause and laughter.

Before the award ceremony, Bassett revealed she checked on DeBose following the virality of her performance (the West Side Story actress deactivated her Twitter amidst the internet’s jokes).

“I DM’d her last night. It was beautiful,” Bassett said. “I just wanted to make sure she was okay because it was a lot. And she is A-okay.”

For years, Bassett has, well, done the thing. To dress and age as gracefully as the 64-year-old actress is a dream. Not to mention, her relationship with husband-slash-actor Courtney B. Vance is nothing short of couple goals (he made sure to get his lady’s angles last night).

Bassett always captivates on the big screen, no matter the character. She’s received critical acclaim for her roles in films and shows like 9-1-1, American Horror Story, Marvel’s Black Panther series, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

She’s best known for What’s Love Got to Do With It, where she played the iconic Tina Turner, which many believe should’ve earned her an Oscar (and I agree).

Bassett secured a nom for Best Supporting Actress at the 2023 Academy Awards. If she successfully wins the category, it’d be her first (and long overdue) Oscar award. We shall see if Bassett will finally secure the honor on March 12.

In the meantime, enjoy some of the internet’s “Angela Bassett did the thing” reactions below — that is, if you haven’t already and/or contributed to the wave of memes.