The actress, who has a 40 year career spanning film, shared which of her memorable lines fans bring
Angela Bassett has spent 40 years building one of the most respected careers in Hollywood, playing real life icons, Marvel royalty and horror legends along the way. With a filmography that deep, you might expect her most quoted line to come from one of her most high profile roles but fans keep going back to one that might catch you off guard.
The Emmy winning actress, 67, sat down with PEOPLE at the 2026 Disney Upfront in New York City on Tuesday, May 12, where she opened up about which line from her career followers repeat to her most. She was in attendance to promote the upcoming 13th season of FX’s anthology series American Horror Story, in which she will reprise her beloved role as voodoo queen Marie Laveau.
It’s not from Black Panther or Tina Turner
Given the sheer scope of her work, it would be easy to assume the fan-favorite phrase came from her Oscar nominated turn as Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It, or perhaps from her emotionally charged performance as Queen Ramonda in Marvel’s Black Panther franchise. But neither of those guesses would be right.
The line that fans love to repeat actually comes from a role Bassett played more than 30 years ago, Katherine Jackson, the matriarch of the Jackson family, in the 1992 TV miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. In the five hour production, Bassett starred opposite Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, who played her husband Joe Jackson, as they raised their famous musical children among them Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson navigating the pressures of fame, parenting and family loyalty.
The line in question is something Katherine says to Joe during a tense late night argument over how to manage their children’s rising careers. It’s a moment that clearly struck a chord with viewers, because decades later, people are still saying it back to the actress who first delivered it.
Still enjoying every moment of it
For her part, Bassett has taken it all in stride. She reflected warmly on the fact that different lines from different projects find their way back to her over time, and that she genuinely enjoys those moments of connection with fans. It speaks to the kind of performer she is one whose work doesn’t just pass by on a screen but stays with people long after the credits roll.
What’s coming next for Bassett
Now, Bassett is heading back into one of her most celebrated television roles. She appeared onstage at the Disney Upfront alongside several of her AHS castmates including Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd and Gabourey Sidibe to give audiences a preview of what season 13 has in store.
The new season is set to premiere in September on FX and Hulu, and the return of Bassett’s Marie Laveau is already one of the most anticipated elements of the upcoming chapter. Laveau has long been a fan favorite within the AHS universe, and Bassett’s commanding portrayal of the voodoo queen remains one of the standout performances in the series’ history.
A career that keeps making history
As one of the few actresses to receive both an Oscar nomination and an honorary Oscar over the course of her career, Bassett has consistently proven that longevity in Hollywood is about more than just staying relevant. It’s about leaving something behind that people carry with them.
Whether it’s a line shouted in a late night family argument from a miniseries made in 1992 or a grief stricken queen standing her ground in a Marvel blockbuster, Bassett‘s performances have a way of becoming part of the cultural fabric. And clearly, fans have no intention of letting any of it go.
EXCLUSIVE : PEOPLE