Courtney B. Vance Says Wife Angela Bassett Is 'Overdue' for an Oscar: 'It's Been 29 Years'
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Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett
Courtney B. Vance thinks it's about time his wife Angela Bassett won an Oscar.
Speaking with PEOPLE at Sunday's American Black Film Festival Honors in Los Angeles — where he was honored with the Excellence in the Arts Award — the actor, 62, said he thinks the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star is "overdue" an Academy Award after first being nominated in 1993.
"It's time, and I can't wait for the moment when they call the first syllable of the name because that's all any of us ever listened for," he said of his wife of 25 years being nominated again at the annual ceremony.
The People v. O.J. Simpson star continued, "If you've been to these events, you know that the only thing you listen for is [making A phonetic sounds], or if it's me [making K phonetic sounds]. If they don't do [making A phonetic sounds], I'm out. You know. So I'm excited. It's been 29 years, she's overdue and I think everybody recognizes that. So I'm excited."
Bassett, 64, is nominated for best supporting actress for her role as Queen Ramonda in the Marvel sequel at this weekend's ceremony and is up against Jamie Lee Curtis, Kerry Condon, Stephanie Hsu and Hong Chau.
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Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic Courtney B. Vance at the 2023 ABFF Awards
Bassett has already picked up a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award this year, winning best supporting actress for playing the Wakanda matriarch at the January ceremonies.
The actress was first nominated for an Oscar in 1993 for her role as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It, losing out on the best actress award to Holly Hunter for her role as Ada McGrath in The Piano.
Speaking with PEOPLE last month, Bassett opened up about her nomination and the biggest lesson it's taught her. "Never give up and run after your passion," she said. "Maybe one day, something as wonderful as this occurs."
RELATED VIDEO: Oscar Nominee Angela Bassett Says She's Grateful For Support From Husband Actor Courtney B. Vance: 'He Understands Everything I Go Through'
She also revealed she drew from her own experience as a mom to twins Bronwyn and Slater, 17, to play the role.
"Being a mother of twins, you're always thinking of them. Wanting the best for your kids," she said of the children she shares with Vance.
Praising her husband, whom she met at the Yale School of Drama in the 1980s, she added, "He understands just empirically everything that I go through. He can really give me perspective because it gets very heady and very busy, but he just keeps me very grounded about the important things, that life is good and we're all just doing our best to support each other."
Tune into the Oscars live on ABC on March 12 at 8 p.m. ET.
