Angelique Jackson When Lynnette Ramirez, head of development for Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s eponymous production company, logs onto Zoom to discuss the release of “Heist 88,” the company’s first feature, with Variety, her virtual background catches the eye.
It’s a black-and-white photo of two children — a little boy and a little girl — alongside the Bassett Vance Productions logo.
It doesn’t take long to recognize that the striking shot is a family photo — and the two kids are the Hollywood power couple’s now-teenage twins Bronwyn and Slater Vance. “This company is about legacy,” Ramirez says. “And not just their family’s legacy — but it certainly feels like that’s where the heart is.” Indeed, Bassett Vance Productions is a family business, but it’s more than that.
Formally founded in 2020 as one of the partnering companies with MTV Entertainment Group’s development program for BIPOC and women filmmakers, the company’s mission statement notes a commitment “to producing timely media that encourages dialogue amongst the communities reflected in our projects and beyond.” It certainly doesn’t hurt that Bassett and Vance are among Hollywood’s most respected (and decorated) actors, with two Primetime Emmys, two Golden Globes, a Tony Award, 17 NAACP Image Awards and countless other nominations and trophies between them.
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