Maya Angelou was an acclaimed writer, poet and political activist, as well as an acclaimed actress. Her most notable role in moviemaking was in the 1977 HBO drama “Roots: The Next Generations”. Angelou played a former slave and midwife named Nana, who was the matriarch of the Lea family. Angelou was convinced to take on the role by LeVar Burton, an actor and director, who had earlier attended one of her poetry readings.
In addition to her well received performance in “Roots: The Next Generations”, Angelou has appeared in other movies such as the 1983 comedy “Down in the Delta”, a dramedy set in the African-American diaspora of the South, in which Angelou played a character named Aunt Magdalene. Angelou made other appearances in the movies “How to Make an American Quilt” in 1990 and the 1999 version of the television movie “Girl, Interrupted”.
Angelou was also featured in the television miniseries “The Women of Brewster Place” in 1989, for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Emmy. Additionally, Angelou even performed a voice-over in the 2010 animated Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog”.
Maya Angelou additionally provided the foreword to the documentary movie “13th,” directed by Ava DuVernay and released in 2016. In this award-winning documentary film, Ava DuVernay takes us on a journey through America’s history of racial inequality and mass incarceration. In the movie, Angelou reflects on the racism faced by African Americans over the years. Throughout her illustrious career, Angelou often used her platform to address issues like racial inequality and women’s rights, so this film felt like a particularly fitting project for her to be involved in.
In summary, Angelou was an incredibly talented actress and her impressive work spans many different genres. She has appeared in movies, television movies, and documentaries, in order to make her powerful statement on racial inequality, so it is hard to pick a single ‘definitive’ movie from her career.
Roots: The Next Generations (1977)
Maya Angelou’s most significant and memorable performance was in the 1977 HBO drama “Roots: The Next Generations”. In this movie, Angelou played the part of Nana, the matriarch of the Lea family and former slave. Nana is a counselor, spiritual guide, and healer in a harsh postbellum society. This role was particularly fitting for Angelou, as Nana’s story reflects the hardships Angelou had faced herself in her own life.
In addition to her award nominated performance in this movie, “Roots: The Next Generations” was also the beginning of Angelou’s career as an actress. She was convinced to act in the film by LeVar Burton, an actor and director, who had earlier attended one of her poetry readings. This was perhaps the most important film of Angelou’s career, as it allowed her to share her ideas, opinions and creative vision with a much larger audience.
The movie was critically acclaimed and arguably still holds up today as a powerful example of vital storytelling. Angelou’s performance was praised for her ability to capture the essence of a nineteenth century matriarch, as well as for her development of Nana’s internal struggle and inner strength. The movie was also praised for its effective representation of historical events, as it was seen by some as an unflinching portrait of the horrors of slavery in the United States.
Down in the Delta (1998)
In 1998, Angelou made an appearance in the movie “Down in the Delta”, which tells the story of an African American family living in the South. This movie was a dramedy and was directed and produced by Robert Alder. In “Down in the Delta”, Maya Angelou played a character called Aunt Magdalene, who is the moral center of the protagonist’s journey through painful life events. In the movie, she provides comfort, strength, and guidance to the protagonist, as she attempts to overcome her past and piece her life back together.
This movie is notable for its unique visual style and its deeply personal approach to film-making. By focusing on the relationships between the characters, “Down in the Delta” displays a level of intimacy and realism which is very rarely seen in movies. Angelou’s acting received great reviews, with some doubting that anyone else could have portrayed Aunt Magdalene as effectively as she did.
Down in the Delta was an incredibly important movie in Maya Angelou’s career, as it allowed her to display the full range of her acting prowess. She was able to portray the character of Aunt Magdalene with a sense of depth and complexity that was rarely seen on film and this established her as an immensely talented actress.
How to Make an American Quilt (1990)
Angelou was also featured in the 1990 film “How to Make an American Quilt”. This movie was a romantic drama directed and written by Jocelyn Moorhouse, and it starred Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft and Ellen Burstyn. In “How to Make an American Quilt”, Angelou played a character called Odessa, who was a friend of Burstyn’s character, an elderly woman named Glady Joe.
Angelou was praised by critics for her performance in this movie and her character was particularly memorable. Through her performance, Angelou managed to create a compelling and high quality character amidst a wide array of other popular actors. Additionally, her character was considered one of the most important characters in the movie, as she provided an insightful and important perspective on life, love and marriage.
“How to Make an American Quilt” was an incredibly important movie in Angelou’s acting career, as it showed her to be a powerful and gifted actress who could rise above her counterparts and bring her character to life. Angelou also felt a deep connection with this movie and its message, which speaks to why she decided to take on this role.
The Women of Brewster Place (1989)
In 1989, Angelou made an appearance in the television miniseries “The Women of Brewster Place”, which was based upon a novel written by Gloria Naylor. This critically acclaimed miniseries starred Oprah Winfrey, Robin Givens and Cicely Tyson and followed seven African American women in a close knit community. Maya Angelou played the role of Mattie Michael and received a nomination for a Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Emmy for her powerful performance.
In “The Women of Brewster Place”, Maya Angelou displayed the full range of her acting ability. The character of Mattie Michael was a complex and multi-dimensional woman and Angelou was able to bring her story to life in an incredibly effective way. Through her performance, Angelou was able to capture the essence of the character and her struggles, displaying her immense range as an actress.
“The Women of Brewster Place” was an incredibly important movie in Angelou’s acting career, as it provided her with an opportunity to display her range and depth as an actress. It also enabled her to form a bond with the characters and their story and this is something she has continued to do throughout her long and celebrated career.
The Princess and the Frog (2010)
In 2010, Angelou provided a voice-over for the animated Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog”. This movie focused on a New Orleans based heroine called Tiana, who is a young woman of color with a unique outlook on life. Angelou was asked to provide a voice-over during a key moment in the movie and she was given full creative reign over the dialogue.
Angelou felt a strong connection to the characters in “The Princess and the Frog” and was deeply touched by the story. She was particularly moved by Tiana’s journey of self-discovery and her struggle to find her true identity. Angelou’s performance was influential and her unique and powerful take on the dialogue resonated deeply with the audience, who thought of her words as a powerful statement about identity and self-respect.
“The Princess and the Frog” was an important movie for Maya Angelou, as it allowed her to portray a strong and resilient female character, who found strength and courage in difficult situations. Through her voice-over, Angelou was requesting to the audience to continue fighting for what is right and to never give up on their dreams.
13th (2016)
Maya Angelou provided the foreword to the documentary movie “13th”, directed by Ava DuVernay and released in 2016. This documentary film was particularly important for Angelou, as it allowed her to use her platform to address issues like racial inequality and women’s rights. In her foreword, Angelou reflects on the racism faced by African Americans over the years and shows her solidarity with those who are struggling for equality even today.
Angelou’s decision to be a part of this movie was a powerful statement and it emphasized her commitment to tackling bigotry and injustice. Her career as a political activist, poet and author gave her the platform to bring her ideas and perspectives to a wider audience and the movie “13th” was one of the ways in which she achieved this.
A key theme in Angelou’s work is that of hope in the face of despair and her foreword to the movie “13th” was yet another example of her commitment to this message. Her contribution to this movie was highly respected and earned her yet another nomination for an Emmy, this time as the ‘Outstanding Narrator’ in a documentary movie.
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Maya Angelou additionally made an appearance in the 1999 version of the television movie “Girl, Interrupted”. This movie stars Winona Ryder, who plays a young woman named Susanna Kaysen who has been committed to a mental hospital. Angelou plays the role of Susanna’s grandmother, who is a supportive and loving figure in her life.
In this movie, Angelou was able to display her range as an actress and her passion for portraying characters with depth and complexity. Her performance was praised for its realism and emotional power and left an lasting impression on the audience. This movie was also the first time that Angelou had the pleasure of working with Winona Ryder and this experience was one which Angelou looks back on with fondness and gratitude.
“Girl, Interrupted” was an important film in Angelou’s career, as it enabled her to showcase her versatility as an actress. It also brought Angelou into contact with a large variety of hugely talented actors, who showed her a great deal of respect and admiration.b This movie was therefore a very positive experience for Angelou, both artistically and personally.
