The 10 Most Underrated Angela Bassett Movies, Ranked (from Least to Most Underrated)

Angela Bassett’s filmography stretches across genres—biopic, sci-fi, action, drama—and she has played everything from real-life icons to world-building leaders and steely professionals. While many viewers know her for awards-season standouts and blockbuster franchises, a lot of sharp work sits slightly off the beaten path in films that didn’t always dominate the spotlight.

Below is a friendly refresher on ten titles worth another look. It’s a straight countdown, focusing on where Bassett shows up with memorable characters, pivotal scenes, and projects that add useful context to her range. Each entry includes quick, concrete details—who made it, who starred with her, and what the film set out to do.

‘Vampire in Brooklyn’ (1995)

Directed by Wes Craven, this horror-comedy pairs Angela Bassett with Eddie Murphy in a New York–set story about a Caribbean vampire searching for a mate. Bassett plays Detective Rita Veder, a police investigator drawn into a string of mysterious deaths that connect to folklore and a centuries-old mythos. The cast also includes Allen Payne, Kadeem Hardison, and Joanna Cassidy, with practical effects and makeup central to the film’s creature design.

Production took place largely on location and on soundstages, with Paramount handling distribution. The film blends police-procedural beats with supernatural set pieces, giving Bassett a role that alternates between investigative work and gothic suspense. It arrives at a period when Craven was experimenting beyond straight horror, and the movie’s tone intentionally fuses genre elements with comedic interludes.

‘Chi-Raq’ (2015)

Spike Lee’s modern adaptation of Aristophanes’ ‘Lysistrata’ relocates the anti-violence story to Chicago, staging a musical-drama that uses verse, choruses, and direct address. Angela Bassett portrays Miss Helen, a neighborhood elder who mentors younger women as they organize to stop gang conflict. The ensemble includes Teyonah Parris, Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, John Cusack, and Jennifer Hudson.

The film incorporates original songs, spoken-word passages, and stylized production design to frame its political and community themes. Bassett’s scenes function as connective tissue between the narrative’s activist strategy and the realities of families affected by shootings, positioning her character as a guide within the story’s civic debate.

‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ (2021)

This stylized action thriller centers on a guild of contract killers and a cross-generational rescue mission. Angela Bassett appears as Anna May, one of the “Librarians,” alongside Carla Gugino and Michelle Yeoh, who operate an armory disguised as a library. The main cast features Karen Gillan and Lena Headey, with set pieces built around choreographed fights in diners, parking garages, and the library itself.

The production leans on bold production design, prop-driven gags, and tightly framed action. Bassett’s character anchors a key wing of the film’s world-building, providing resources, codes, and safe haven that structure the protagonist’s choices. The movie was released by STX and a streaming partner in different territories, reflecting a hybrid distribution approach common to mid-budget action during its release window.

‘Otherhood’ (2019)

A comedy-drama released by Netflix, ‘Otherhood’ follows three friends who travel to New York to reconnect with their adult sons. Angela Bassett stars alongside Patricia Arquette and Felicity Huffman, forming a trio whose road-trip structure moves through apartments, workplaces, and neighborhood hangouts. Bassett’s storyline explores communication gaps and shifting boundaries between parents and grown children.

Filmed primarily in New York and the surrounding area, the movie uses an episodic format to cycle through the sons’ different living situations and careers. Bassett’s character navigates career milestones and family milestones in parallel, giving the film a clear through-line about independence, expectations, and practical steps toward repairing day-to-day relationships.

‘Notorious’ (2009)

This biographical drama chronicles the life of Christopher Wallace. Angela Bassett plays Voletta Wallace, the rapper’s mother, appearing in scenes set in Brooklyn and in flashbacks that establish family history, school years, and early recording sessions. The cast includes Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, Naturi Naughton, and Anthony Mackie in roles that map to key figures in New York hip-hop.

The production draws on period-accurate costumes, locations, and music clearances to recreate the era’s look and sound. Bassett’s scenes shape the film’s timeline around home life, graduation, and the early business deals that transition from local notoriety to national exposure, providing an anchor as the narrative moves through tours and rivalries.

‘The Score’ (2001)

A Montreal-set heist film directed by Frank Oz, ‘The Score’ pairs Robert De Niro with Edward Norton and features Marlon Brando in one of his final screen roles. Angela Bassett appears as Diane, a professional partner and sounding board to De Niro’s veteran safecracker, who is weighing retirement against the risks of one last job. The story tracks planning, surveillance, and the technical steps required to breach a heavily guarded customs house.

The film emphasizes process: blueprints, alarms, plumbing schematics, and the division of labor between the crew. Bassett’s character frames the stakes surrounding legitimate opportunities versus criminal payouts, helping define the protagonist’s constraints as the caper unfolds across night shoots, practical locations, and a detailed vault set.

‘Sunshine State’ (2002)

Written and directed by John Sayles, ‘Sunshine State’ interweaves multiple storylines in a coastal Florida town facing redevelopment. Angela Bassett plays Desiree Perry, a returning local whose visit intersects with community theater rehearsals, civic meetings, and land deals. The ensemble includes Edie Falco, Timothy Hutton, Jane Alexander, and Bill Cobbs, with the narrative alternating between personal and municipal decision-making.

Sayles structures the film around public spaces—parades, beaches, diners—and uses them to stage conversations about heritage tourism and zoning. Bassett’s arc connects family history to present-day negotiations over property and identity, and the production makes extensive use of location shooting to ground those discussions in a recognizable Gulf Coast environment.

‘Music of the Heart’ (1999)

Directed by Wes Craven, this classroom drama follows a violin program launched in a Harlem public school. Angela Bassett plays Principal Janet Williams opposite Meryl Streep’s music teacher, with scenes covering grant applications, student recitals, and the logistics of expanding an arts curriculum. The film also features Aidan Quinn and Gloria Estefan, and incorporates performances with professional musicians.

Production blends documentary-style rehearsal footage with staged concerts at prominent venues, tracing the administrative steps that sustain arts education—fundraising, parent outreach, and community partnerships. Bassett’s role situates the story within a school’s chain of command, clarifying how scheduling, space, and budget approvals shape what students ultimately experience.

‘Strange Days’ (1995)

Kathryn Bigelow directs this near-future thriller about a black-market device that records and replays human experiences. Angela Bassett portrays Lornette “Mace” Mason, a bodyguard and limousine driver whose work thread runs through street festivals, police investigations, and illicit tech exchanges. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Lewis, and Tom Sizemore, with extensive night shooting across downtown Los Angeles.

The film integrates handheld camerawork, elaborate point-of-view sequences, and practical stunt work to depict its memory-playback technology. Bassett’s character operates as a security professional navigating protests, industry parties, and back-alley deals, and the production’s New Year’s Eve set-piece required large-scale crowd coordination and multi-camera coverage to stage the climactic events.

‘Akeelah and the Bee’ (2006)

This spelling-bee drama follows a student from South Los Angeles preparing for national competition. Angela Bassett plays Tanya Anderson, the mother of the title character, appearing in scenes that track study schedules, school conferences, and community support networks. The film stars Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne and moves through qualifying rounds, coaching sessions, and regional contests.

The production uses classroom locations, neighborhood exteriors, and competition stages to chart the procedural steps from local bees to the national final. Bassett’s role centers the family logistics—time management, transportation, and permissions—that underpin Akeelah’s progress, while the film documents the training methods, word lists, and tournament formats that structure the path to elite spelling events.

Share your picks in the comments: which Angela Bassett films do you think more people should revisit right now?