Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist – Angela Bassett on ‘Zero Day’ and Honoring Chadwick Boseman

Date: December 13, 2025
Host: Willie Geist
Guest: Angela Bassett
Main Theme: Angela Bassett reflects on her career, groundbreaking roles, and her star turn as the U.S. President in Netflix’s “Zero Day.” She shares insights on her journey, the evolution of representation in Hollywood, and her special connection with the late Chadwick Boseman.

Episode Overview

Willie Geist welcomes the legendary Angela Bassett for an in-depth conversation about her new Netflix limited series “Zero Day,” her powerful presence in cinema and television, and the inspirations and challenges that shaped her career. The episode explores Bassett’s iconic roles, her early days at Yale and on New York stages, and the impact of landmark movies like “Boyz n the Hood,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” and “Black Panther.”

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. “Zero Day” and Portraying the President

• Angela’s Role: Bassett discusses playing the President of the United States in the high-stakes thriller “Zero Day,” which centers on a massive, coordinated cyber attack.

  • Immediate Reaction:

    “Absolutely. You know, it’s an offer I absolutely could not, could not say no to.” (Angela, 04:06)

  • On the Challenges:

    “It just felt like this fine line you have to walk… instilling confidence in others that we’ll make it through whatever the catastrophe or the danger is.” (Angela, 04:42)

• Working with Robert De Niro:

  • Bassett describes De Niro as generous, warm, and collaborative, admitting she initially felt nervous acting opposite him, even at this stage in her career.
  • Notable Quote:

    “Thanks for bringing me along in this journey because I worked with him once... but twice.” (Angela, 10:21)

• Real-World Parallels:

  • Bassett shares how the premise of a nationwide cyberattack felt disturbingly plausible:

    “At some point for me, it was like, okay, stop. I’m going to get up. I’m going to leave right now.” (Angela, 07:25)

• Six-Episode Format:

  • She praises the limited series style for allowing the story and characters to breathe:

    “I like having the opportunity over the course of six episodes to really unpack the story slowly. Nothing’s rushed.” (Angela, 08:22)

2. Early Life, Education, and the Spark for Acting

• Finding the Stage:
  • Growing up in St. Petersburg, FL, Bassett describes discovering acting as a “15 year old girl writing in her diary” who was inspired after seeing “Of Mice and Men” in theater.
  • Memorable Story:

    “I was literally the only person sitting in the theater weeping, crying as the ushers are cleaning up programs... If I could make people feel as bad as I am right now, how would that be?” (Angela, 14:26)

  • Creating Opportunities:

    “…my school had a drama program that didn’t do any theater, any plays... But I said, well, we can do scenes, right?... I did a Raisin in the Sun…” (Angela, 15:11)

• Yale Years:
  • Bassett attended Yale undergrad and Yale School of Drama, finding her “tribe” among theater lovers and learning from influential mentors like Lloyd Richards.
  • On Mentorship:

    “He was such a supporter of mine, and I just found such inspiration in the history. As I began to learn the history of theater and acting, just got more involved in it.” (Angela, 17:25)

3. Paying Her Dues on Stage and Screen

• Early NYC Hustle:
  • Angela reminisces about staying late at theaters, “second acting” shows, and doing off-off-Broadway with little to no pay—“almost in New Jersey you were so far off Broadway.” (Angela, 20:50)
  • Every job was precious:

    “It’s funny. Every job felt like I made it… As Antigone in Antigone, I made it.” (Angela, 21:31)

• Making the Leap to Hollywood:
  • Rather than waiting to be discovered, she moved to LA herself, risking her cheap NYC apartment for a shot at TV and film.
  • Advice from Uncle Charles:

    “Baby, don’t get off a winning horse.” (Angela, 24:54)

4. Breakthrough Roles and Representation

• Boyz n the Hood:
  • John Singleton took a chance on young actors from TV, casting Bassett despite Hollywood’s TV/film divide.
  • "He said, you remind me of my mother." (Angela, 25:50)
• What’s Love Got to Do With It:
  • Playing Tina Turner was her cultural and career breakout.
  • On the difference it made:

    “When Once Love Happened, it’s sort of, of. It changed everything.” (Angela, 27:40)

• Cultural Impact and Limited Opportunity:
  • Despite acclaim, roles didn’t pour in right away due to lack of stories centered on Black women.

  • “You have to think or remember that during that time what stories were being told and did those stories include, you know, a brown skinned girl or a woman…” (Angela, 30:38)

5. Celebrating Black Stories and Success

• Rise of Ensemble Black Films:
  • She describes the excitement of starring in classics like “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” fueled by the popularity of Terry McMillan’s books.
  • “I remember riding on the subway…literally seeing everyone with her book, Waiting to Exhale… I said, that’s going to be successful.” (Angela, 32:19)
• Black Panther’s Global Resonance:
  • Bassett reflects on the Marvel phenomenon shattering the myth that Black-led films don’t travel internationally.

  • “Movies about Black characters don’t translate across seas—it was like, you make $1.3 billion, I think somebody’s watching you.” (Angela, 33:13)

  • On fan reactions:

    “They would literally cry, fall off chairs… Men would cry, weep. It was like, what is going on here? Oh, something big’s about to happen.” (Angela, 34:50)

6. Chadwick Boseman and Legacy

• On Working with Chadwick:
  • Bassett recalls how soulful, wise, and privately selfless Boseman was—only revealing at the premiere that he’d been her escort at Howard years earlier.

  • “He said, I was your escort that weekend… and here we sat—look at you—we have sat for months next to each other in the makeup trailer. And you never mentioned that…” (Angela, 36:59)

  • On their connection:

    “I felt motherly toward him.” (Angela, 36:57)

• On Work Ethic and Inspiration:
  • Anecdote about meeting Cicely Tyson, her “shero,” for the first time, and focusing on the work above all reverence.

  • “But first things first, right? The work.” (Angela, 40:33)

7. Gratitude and Looking Back

• Daily Perspective:
  • Bassett remains humble about her journey:

    “I do every day. Every day that I show up at set and look around at all the wonderful people, I get an opportunity to meet and to work with those who’ve championed me and brought me along to play play with them…” (Angela, 41:02)

  • The importance of gratitude:

    “If you can remain grateful, you can appreciate what others have to tribute.” (Angela, 41:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Accepting the “Zero Day” Role:

  “It’s an offer I absolutely could not, could not say no to.” (Angela, 04:06)

• On Working with De Niro:

  “...still a little bit of nerves because the legend and the man. Exactly.” (Angela, 09:35)

• On Hollywood Opportunities:

  “Not necessarily. You know, because also you have to think or remember that during that time what stories were being told and did those stories include, you know, a brown skinned girl or a woman…” (Angela, 30:38)

• On “Black Panther” Changing Hollywood Myths:

  “You make $1.3 billion, I think somebody’s watching you.” (Angela, 33:13)

• On Her Connection With Chadwick Boseman:

  “He was just as warm as you can imagine. I felt motherly toward him.” (Angela, 36:57)

• Advice from a Mentor:

  “Baby, don’t get off a winning horse.” (Uncle Charles, recalled by Angela, 24:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & “Zero Day” Role: 03:46–12:38
• Discovering Acting/Roots: 14:02–18:48
• Early Career & First Breaks: 20:11–25:02
• “Boyz n the Hood” & “What’s Love…”: 25:02–28:57
• Representation, Ensemble Films, and Hollywood Change: 30:16–33:13
• “Black Panther” & Chadwick Boseman: 33:13–41:02
• Closing / Reflection on Gratitude: 41:02–end

Final Thoughts

Angela Bassett’s episode is a warm, wise, and vibrant journey through modern American entertainment. Her perspective on representation, gratitude, and perseverance, as well as her stories about working with icons like Robert De Niro and Chadwick Boseman, shine throughout. Fans and newcomers alike will come away with a renewed appreciation for both her craft and her character.