Angela Bassett stars in new movie, 'Contact.'

Angela Bassett, who stars in the new film Contact, stands out as one of the most versatile and sought-after actresses in Hollywood.

Versatility is the name of the game for any actress or actor seeking a long career in show business. You have to be able to do it all--comedy, drama, romance and even science fiction. And Angela Bassett does it all.

She starred as Bernadine, the woman who burns her cheating husband's possessions in the hit movie Waiting To Exhale, which inspired Babyface to write the hit tune Not Gon Cry, recorded by Mary J. Blige.

Bassett won an Oscar nomination for her riveting portrayal of Tina Turner in What's Love Got To Do With It.

She captured the dignity and courage of the late Dr. Betty Shabazz in Spike Lee's Malcolm X.

She won rave reviews for her touching performance as Katherine Jackson, the mother of the famous Jackson music family, in the TV mini-series "The Jacksons: An American Dream." She also starred in John Singleton's hard-hitting drama Boyz N The Hood, the thriller Strange Days, and even played a cop-turned-vampire in Eddie Murphy's hilarious horror movie A Vampire In Brooklyn.

Now, she is winning rave reviews from critics and moviegoers for her starring role in the hit science fiction thriller Contact with Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.

Bassett plays Rachel Constantine, a tough, no-nonsense, high-ranking presidential advisor who heads a committee in charge of providing government funding for scientific research.

Foster stars as young, driven scientist Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway, who receives humankind's first message from an extraterrestrial source. Fighting for her rightful place as leader of the scientific investigation into the mysterious message, she turns to her one ally, scholar and top-level government advisor Palmer Ross, played by Matthew McConaughey.

The ensemble cast also includes James Woods, John Hurt, Rob Lowe, Tom Skerritt, William Fichtner and David Morse.

As a top-ranking advisor to the President of the United States, Bassett's character is key in the movie story line because she is the one who must attempt to interpret the meaning of the message for all the world and keep its negative impact under control. She must make sure everyone's opinions are heard and also protect the Oval Office.

Bassett says, "There's a part of Rachel that is a cheerleader for Ellie. But, as a woman who's had to earn the position she holds, Rachel also isn't going to let Ellie slide," she explains. "If anything, she's going to make it a little bit more difficult, so that when Ellie rises to the challenge. everyone will know just exactly how much she's worth."

She describes what she hopes moviegoers will get from seeing Contact. "Although it's a big story, I think it's a small story. It's about self discovery and about personal relationships, and about making those work so that maybe we can make the far-reaching ones productive and positive also."

Foster agrees with Bassett and adds, "It's really about people why they do what they do, why they love each other and their relationship to the universe."

Black moviegoers love the chemistry between Bassett and Foster's characters in Contact. "I was excited about being able to watch her (Foster) on the set daily because she's incredible," Bassett recently told the Atlanta Journal. "When you talk to lay women and men in the African-American community, they call her name as one of their favorite actresses." Foster's movie credits include The Silence of the Lambs, Nell, The Accused and Taxi Driver.

Bassett, who grew up in St. Petersburg, FL, and graduated from the prestigious Yale School of Drama, will soon star in the upcoming How Stella Got Her Groove Back, the film version of the bestselling novel by Terry McMillan, who also wrote Waiting to Exhale.

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