Angela Bassett is totally living for Keke Palmer‘s impersonation of her. The duo, who reunited 16 years after starring together in Akeelah and the Bee, shared a laugh over Palmer’s spot-on impression of Bassett while sitting down with Vanity Fair.
Bassett was the first to break the ice as she told the actress, “I’ve seen you online imitating me. You do a great job,” to which Palmer replied, it’s one of her “most notable impressions.”
According to Palmer, Bassett isn’t the only fan of her imitation. She said Queen Latifah, whom she has worked with on several projects (including the 2012 musical Joyful Noise), used to have her do it all the time.
“I used to only do it for her, I just recently started doing it online and everything,” she said. “But whenever we worked together — I did it for her one time — and she’d be like, ‘Do Angela.'”
Finally, Bassett convinced Palmer to do the impersonation for her. She said, “OK, Keke. We’re here together. We’re finally here. I don’t have to watch you online. I can actually see it right here before me.”
When a bashful Palmer said, “I can’t believe this. This is insane,” Bassett encouraged her to not be shy, pointing out that the actress is “not shy at all.”
From there, Palmer debuted a full impersonation of Bassett’s character in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, where she starred as matriarch Katherine Jackson.
Palmer praised the veteran actress’ performance in the show as “amazing” and “incredible,” before Bassett joined in on the impersonation herself. And, fun fact: she even said she improvised part of the scene where Katherine finds out her husband is cheating on her.
Can someone please cast these two in another movie together ASAP? It’s obviously been way too long.
