Angela Bassett approves of Keke Palmer’s spot-on impersonation of her. The former talk show host had social media in a chokehold when she showed off her impression of her “Akeelah and the Bee” co-star.
“I’ve seen you online imitating me,” exclaimed Bassett in a clip from her interview with Palmer for Variety. She continued, “You do a great job, you do a great job,” before she prompted Palmer to do her famous impersonation of her in person.
The 29-year-old selected a scene from the autobiographical miniseries, “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” where Bassett, who played Katherine Jackson, learns her husband Joe Jackson has been unfaithful. As Palmer recited the lines, “I don’t want you, I don’t want you…” she was joined by the film’s star. “And that line was improvised,” revealed Bassett.
In the full-length Q & A, the Oscar-nominated actress said she learned about Palmer’s impersonation when a friend sent her a clip. “I didn’t know what it was, it was on Instagram or something. And I looked, and of course, it was like, hearts, hearts, hearts, hearts. I love it. I adore it,” said the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star.
The younger actress responded, “I saw ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ very young, and ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream’ very young. You were the most iconic thing to me in both of those films… I think it took years for me to know who the real Tina Turner was because, in my mind, it was you.”
During a 2021 guest appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” the “Nope” actress revealed that Queen Latifah was the first person who really egged her on to continue doing the imitation. “Literally every time we work together, she’s always like, ‘Do the Angela! Do the Angela!” she recalled.
The “True Jackson, VP” stairwell gave fans another glimpse at her impersonating the Julliard-trained talent during a promo clip for her Dec. 3 appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” In it, Palmer reenacts a scene from the new “Black Panther” film. Throughout the year, Palmer’s acting prowess has garnered attention and support from her fans.
On multiple occasions, social media users have petitioned for Palmer to be the star of a Marvel movie, for her to join Whoppi Goldberg in the upcoming “Sister Act” film, and for her to play iconic singer Whitney Houston in a biopic. Palmer has shown interest in nearly every single one of their pitches.
