[SpecMagShorts] Angela Bassett On Her Role in “Soul”: Confident, Strong, Poised

Angela Bassett, actress, director, and executive producer known for captivating, emotionally-tinged performances full of dignity, is the voice of Dorothea Williams in “Soul,” Pixar’s all-new feature film. Dorothea is a world-renowned jazz legend who’s earned her place among the greats. Confident, strong, and poised, she is also truly talented when it comes to her saxophone playing. Dorothea exudes pure confidence on stage and suffers no fools when it comes to jazz or life. Her band is her family, and joining that family is an honor she’s willing to extend to very few. It’s not easy to impress Dorothea, but it’s worth trying.

In this episode of #SpecMagShorts, Angela Bassett (during a virtual conference) talks with host Phyllis Coley about her role in “Soul” pointing out that her character Dorothea is in a non-traditional position. She also discusses the brilliance of Pixar, working with Jamie Foxx, and why this movie will appeal to all ages. Bassett goes on to explain the perfect timing of the release of “Soul.”

[Watch #SpecMagShorts] ANGELA BASSETT: On Her Role as “Dorothea” in Pixar’s “SOUL”

“Soul” will debut exclusively on Disney+ on December 25, 2020. The film stars Pixar’s first black protagonist and an ensemble featuring an all-star voice cast of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey alongside Angela Bassett, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs.

“Soul” introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who has a passion for jazz. Joe wants more than anything to become a professional jazz pianist. So when he’s offered a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with one of the greats, Joe feels he’s reached the top of the ultimate mountain.

But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks, and interests before they go to Earth.

Dorothea is very thoughtful and intentional about who she wants in her group. Joe has admired her from a distance, so it’s a very big deal to him to get the opportunity to play with her.

According to director Pete Docter, filmmakers needed someone who could convey Dorothea’s command of a room, but with undeniable likability. Angela Bassett fit the bill. “Angela has such strength,” says Docter. “She walks into the room, and you feel it. When she speaks, you listen. We’ve been able to draw from her strength and put that in the character.”

Animators showcased Dorothea’s confidence in an unexpected way—by limiting her movement. “They did an amazing job of keeping her so still and powerful in her posture, in how little she blinks or makes eye contact—it comes across as intimidating,” says animation supervisor Jude Brownbill, who adds that such restraint can be difficult. “You want to move characters around. You want to have fun and make new poses. For Dorothea, we had to strip a lot out—remove a blink or expression change—because the power comes from her not moving.”

Bassett, whose powerful performance underscored Dorothea’s love of jazz, was inspired by the story. “It was wonderful working with our directors Pete and Kemp,” says Bassett. “It’s a long process, it takes a number of years. Every time I came back to record again, their enthusiasm was infectious, I could sense their passion for the story.

“I was intrigued that it was a story about the soul, about the spirit, about who we are at our core, about what we hope to do with our lives,” continues Bassett. “I thought it was really unique. Being a lover of jazz, wishing I could play piano or guitar or some instrument, I was really thrilled to play this character.”

Angela Bassett has made star-turns in the historic “Black Panther,” “Mission: Impossible- Fallout,” “Bumblebee” from Paramount, “9-1-1” and “Master of None.” Other projects include feature films “Otherhood” from Netflix and “The Flood” from National Geographic, for which she received an Emmy® nomination for the outstanding narrator.

Bassett wrapped production on the upcoming action thriller “Gunpowder Milkshake.” Further, she was recently nominated for two Emmys, including outstanding narrator for the “Imagineering Story: The Happiest Place on Earth” and outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” Bassett is the recipient of a Golden Globe® Award and multiple NAACP Image Awards; was nominated for an Academy Award®, two Screen Actors Guild Awards®, six Emmys, and nine BET Awards; and holds a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for her directorial debut, the Whitney Houston biopic “Whitney.” She also showcased her directing talents in the popular horror anthology series “American Horror Story.”