Angela Bassett is gearing up for a very big night out. The 55-year-old actress is headed to the Emmys as a nominee for her supporting role in American Horror Story: Coven. And to celebrate, she’s stripping down for The Violet Files — and sharing a very sexy behind-the-scenes look of her getting-ready process.
Robin Black
“My first question is always ‘Is my team available?’ I wish I could do all of this, but everyone has their gifts,” the nominee says about her red carpet routine. “Then I just sit there with my eyes closed. If I open them it’s only because I’m trying to get a few tips for myself!”
And she’s 100 percent confident about handing control over to the glam squad. “I just let them do what they do because they marry the look to the moment. It’s like a dance: We’re all doing it, and every person has their part. Everything has to meet and become one voice.”
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Robin Black
The award-winning star has also picked up a lot of beauty tips in her long acting career (and all the red carpets that have come with). “One thing that I’ve learned is don’t bring your false lashes all the way to the end of your eyes because it will bring your eyes down.” she advises.
She also has learned something about prepping for the big day to ensure her dress looks its best. “I try to watch my diet so I can fit into whatever I am wearing,” she says. “Cut the sugar, the alcohol and the bread and eat a lot of protein and veggies.”
Robin Black
Whatever plan she’s on, it’s definitely working, because the star looks unbelievable in her boudoir-themed photo shoot. But when she’s not getting glammed up for the cameras, she prefers to keep her routine simple — even on date night.
“It only takes me about 10 minutes,” she says. “I start thinking about it in the car on the way home. Do I want to be flirty? Sensual? Powerful? Then I try to dress for that feeling. My husband [actor Courtney B. Vance] always says ‘Lord, you’ve made something out of nothing, how did you do that?’”
Read more from the actress’s interview with Violet Grey magazine here, and tell us: What do you think of her red carpet plan? How about these photos? Sound off below.
–Brittany Talarico
