Woman Crush Wednesday belongs to thee incomparable Angela Bassett.
Angela Bassett was just trying to stay cool!
Miss Bassett looks back on filming the legendary 1995 classic Waiting to Exhale, including thee unforgettable moment when Bernadine Harris calmly turns a cheating husband’s belongings into a driveway bonfire.
Woman Crush Wednesday
Angela Bassett revisits Bernadine.
The icon looks back on Waiting to Exhale, working with fire and the personal inspiration she brought to Bernadine Harris.
Some links may be affiliate links. INYIM may earn from qualifying purchases.
Bassett explains that the famous fire sequence looked a lot hotter than it felt glamorous. Between the flames, the heat and the practical realities of shooting the scene, she was mostly trying to keep herself together while delivering one of the film’s most enduring moments.
She also shares that Bernadine drew inspiration from her own mother, giving the character’s anger, pride and resolve an even more personal foundation. It is one of those performances where every look lands — and nearly three decades later, Bernadine’s scorched-earth exit remains part of movie history.
That is thee Angela Bassett effect: poise, power and a little fire when necessary.
Angela Bassett Revisits Waiting to Exhale With Vanity Fair
Watch Angela Bassett look back on Bernadine Harris, the famous fire scene and the personal inspiration behind the role.
Don’t have TikTok? Watch on IG.
Source and images: Vanity Fair.
