What's up, Auntie?
-(laughter) -Oh... nephew!
Do you get that everywhere?
-I got it today. -I feel like everyone greets you
like that everywhere in the world.
-Welcome to The Daily Show. -Thank you.
-I did get it earlier today, so yeah. -You have to get it.
You have to... You-you have so many iconic roles
that have now spanned through time.
When you look back, is there any one role
where you think to yourself, "That was the first time
"where people came up to me in the street
and just started reciting lines to me"?
Mm-hmm. It was definitely What's Love.
-What's Love Got to Do with it? Yeah. -Yeah. Yeah.
-That was, like... -"Eat the cake, Anna Mae."
-Eat the cake. -Eat the cake.
It-it-it... it's-it's an understatement
to say that you're a legend of the screen, you know?
Um, across continents, people have loved what you do.
You-you... you're known as somebody
who's played some of the most gripping roles.
You know, for instance, playing Tina Turner on-screen.
You know... you know, a powerful role that was painful.
-Mm. -And now we're seeing you going all the way into comedy.
Is-is... is there something...?
Was there a realm that you see yourself most comfortable in,
or are you just say like, "I just crush it all"?
(laughter)
I don't say that. I don't feel that, definitely.
-I'll say it for you. You crush it all. -All right.
-Everything. -What do you... what do you have more fun doing?
(applause and cheering)
I think I love... I love the drama.
-Oh, okay. -I love the drama.
But, um, this role, well, Otherhood, was more comedic.
-Right. -So that was freeing, fun every day.
You didn't have to, you know...
(imitates crying) ...go there every night.
So that was a great deal of fun, but I actually love stage.
-Right. -Yeah.
-Oh. Okay. -That's my first love-- stage.
So I'm hoping in my "otherhood,"
that I'll be able to get back to that, get back to...
I... I-I think you will be able to,
because, like, you know, this-this story was great,
because it felt like a story you were telling about yourself,
about moms out there, about just women in general.
The story of Otherhood follows yourself
and some friends of yours, you know, as characters,
who have young children who have moved into the city,
and no longer think that they're kids, but they act like kids.
Right. They don't need their mother anymore.
And they've abandoned their moms.
-They don't need their moms. -Don't need them anymore.
-Right. -Taught-taught us every lesson that we need to know.
We're gone off, we got it, we packed it away.
-See you at Christmas, maybe, you know? -Right.
-If we're not too busy. -I...
Which is kind of like what I did, you know, growing up.
But when you see them, like,
you know, what-what I love about the movie is,
the moms say, "No, we're-we're gonna go."
Like, we saw your character there in that clip,
and she's like, "No, I'm-I'm coming to see you."
I'm gonna go. I'm not leaving
till he says he loves me and he needs me.
-Yeah. -Do you see yourself ever doing that?
You've got two kids now? 13, right?
-I have done it. -What do you mean?
Ah, they're 13. You know, because...
-Well, my daughter-- she gives me kisses every day. -Yes.
She's very easy, you know, free with that.
Like, "I love you, Mom." (kissing)
-You know, on the phone. -Right.
(kissing) It's always three kisses
before you get off.
My son-- he's just too cool for school,
and, uh, you know, they're...
I've had to sit him down and say,
"I love you, and I work hard.
"I sacrifice being here to, you know,
"to make things nice for you, and it would be nice
"if you would say, 'I love you, Mom,'
or 'Can we spend some time.'" Ah.
-I mean, just put the guilt... -He's already at that age?
He was at that stage.
-You know, kids go through stages. -Right, right, right.
-You know, they hug you, they cling. -I thought 13
was still, like, cuddly. No?
-Mm... -No? He's like, he's like, "I'm a man now, I'm out"?
Yeah, kind of. Kind of.
"I'm a 13-year-old man." -Yeah.
"Look at my abs. See?" Yeah, but, uh...
He's-he's... he's come back around.
He's pretty loving through here,
-but I know it's a passing phase, I know it. -Right.
Like every other phase that's... that has come and gone.
-When-when you... -This might be a passing one.
You seem like a very, um, down-to-earth and simple person,
considering the world that you live in.
Is-is that like the "stage" you, or is that just you?
-That's just me. -Yeah?
-Yeah. Yeah. -How do you think you've remained grounded
in all of these years? 'Cause I...
If I was a legend, I would not be grounded.
(laughter)
I don't... I don't think so. You're, like, one of the most
down-to-earth, just, like, genuine, beautiful people
I've ever met, but you're also a legend.
If I was a legend, I would tell people, "I am a legend."
-Okay. -I would begin every sentence with "As a legend."
As you know, as a legend, right?
But what do you... but what do you think has-has kept you
being you for all of these years?
You know, I think the wonderful family that-that raised me.
-The simplicity in which I was raised. -Mm-hmm.
You know, single mom, you know, just working hard,
trying to, you know,
make a dollar out of 15 cents, as they say.
My auntie, who I did... who I loved so much,
she said, "Don't-don't waste your college education.
"Don't waste your education on theater, because it's...
I guess, it's not gonna to work out." -Right.
"It may not work out for you.
It's so tenuous and-and, you know, and-and unimaginable."
Um, but it did work out.
-Oh, it worked out. -It did work out.
But it didn't have to.
But it took hard work, and it took opportunity.
Opportunity meeting your preparation.
And, uh, and-and here I sit, a legend, as you say.
-(applause and cheering) -Hey!
-Don't mess with me, Trevor! -Yes!
Just say it!
Otherhood will be available on Netflix August 2.
Angela Bassett, everybody, the legend!