We'd probably all like to look as good at any age as Angela Bassett does at 64—but just how does she stay so toned and glowing? Back in 2018, the star—who recently earned a second Academy Award nomination for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever—sat down with host Laila Muhammad and spilled her secrets.
In a clip from the interview, which has gone viral before and is currently trending again thanks to this tweet, Bassett laughs as she says, "Now I done told you what to do, and it don't work unless I do it—and you too."
Keep reading if you're ready to take on the actor's plan for staying youthful and gorgeous as you get older (no portrait in the attic required).
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Get yourself a good esthetician.
Tinseltown / ShutterstockWhen asked how she stays looking so good, Bassett's first answer is that she has "a good esthetician" who helps her keep her "clean and together" so she doesn't have to wear a lot of makeup all the time. "Your face, your canvas, present it to the world, and you're good," she says.
Wondering what, exactly, an esthetician can do for you? They generally work in spas and salons, and perform non-invasive "cosmetic skin treatments such as facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, and waxing," according to Verywell Health.
While estheticians cannot diagnose or treat medical conditions—for that, you'll need a dermatologist—the power of a good facial cannot be denied, as demonstrated by looking at Bassett.
Just say no to (most) bread and dairy.
DFree / ShutterstockNow comes the less-fun part of Bassett's regimen: diet.
"It truly is about eating," she says, "because you can out-eat any exercise routine." Explaining that she believes it's important to eat clean "at least 80, 85 percent of the time," she advises people to "follow a plan—not one that's not too restrictive."
Her plan, however, puts dairy totally off-limits and nixes bread, except for Ezekiel bread, which is sprouted.
Bassett's diet also sounds a little confusing, especially if you tend to forget what day of the week it is. On Monday and Tuesday, she eats carbs and fruit; the next two days are all about protein (she says Tuesday and Wednesday in the clip but we think she meant Wednesday and Thursday).
Vegetables, however, are always allowed. "Veggies every day," she says emphatically.
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Eat plenty of good fats.
Adriana M. Barraza/ WENN.com/Alamy Stock PhotoFour days of the week, Bassett says she avoids fat in her diet altogether. "And then the last three days, I flood it with fat—good fat," she explains, naming coconut oil, salmon, almonds, almond butter, olive oil, and walnut oil as examples of fats on her greenlit list.
"Is that good?" she asks after laying out her diet plan.
"Yes, you gave me the formula!" Muhammad answers.
Set yourself up for workout success.
Kathy Hutchins / ShutterstockOf course, you can't get Bassett's breathtakingly toned body without working up a sweat at the gym. Her secret for staying disciplined about fitness? Paying a trainer.
"I gotta pay so I will show up, cause I don't wanna waste my money," she explains. "I've gotta be accountable, and somebody's there waiting for me, because I know myself, and I will talk myself out of going."
Bassett says she makes a point of working out early in the morning, because her "workout quotient will diminish as the day goes on." Her workout plan, she explains, incorporates cardio on the days she eats carbs and strength-training on the protein days. On the fat-eating days, "it's about deep breathing, a massage, yoga," she says—and then catches herself, admitting that "I don't do yoga, I go for the massage."
