Angela Bassett has been painfully snubbed in the past, but over the weekend, the acting veteran got long overdue Emmys recognition.
On Saturday (Sept. 7), the actress, 66, received an award for Outstanding Narrator at the 76th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for her narration work on National Geographic docuseries Queens. The win comes after Bassett has gotten nine Emmy nominations in total, including her guest appearances on shows Master of None and A Black Lady Sketch Show. Bassett's first nomination was in 2002 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for The Rosa Parks Story.
During her acceptance speech, per People, Bassett shared that it felt "really, really good" to win her first Emmy, also thanking National Geographic, Wildstar Films and the all-woman director crew for the series' "incredible story."
"I couldn’t be more thrilled and more grateful," Bassett said. "Thank you, each and every one of you."
The excitement continued in the press room, where Bassett was asked by a reporter about her surprise around winning an Emmy when it was "clearly well-deserved."
"This is one of the really, really big ones, you know what I mean? And so that...that doesn't usually happen," Bassett began.
"But also, whenever you’re acknowledged…I'm just a girl who just wanted to act and, and my mentors were way out ahead of me,” she continued. “And I just looked to them and got inspiration and hope and and I just put my focus and my energy and my love to try to make it happen in my life, or for my life."
"So each and every day I try to remember that first love,” she continued, referring to her acting career. "I appreciate it. I really appreciate it."
Bassett followed the awards ceremony with an Instagram post, writing, "My very first #Emmy. It feels really good to hold this in my hands."
After thanking the Television Academy/Emmys, she added, "So much of my life is spent on camera telling stories, that when I have the opportunity to step back and allow these majestic, powerful creatures to be the center of our attention, I am honored to be their voice."
Bassett's Emmy win comes seven months after she earned an Honorary Oscar at the 14th Governors Awards, nearly a year after she lost Best Supporting Actress to Jamie Lee Curtis.