Source: David Crotty / Getty
Despite the strongly-willed and authoritative characters she’s often played during the span of her career, in a recent interview actress Angela Basset admitted that she’s totally the “good cop” when it comes to parenting her two 15-year-old twins with fellow actor Courtney B. Vance.
Concerning their opposing parenting styles when it comes to the teenagers — a boy named Slater and a girl named Bronwyn — Bassett told late-night host James Corden during her latest guest appearance on his show that Vance is more of the authority in the household while she’s a bit of a pushover.
“He’s usually pretty calm but he is consistent,” the actress said of her husband. Giving an example of how their children are quick to heed their dad’s wishes even when he’s not at home and away for work, she added, “For instance, right now he’s 2,500 miles or so away in Chicago and he can still get them to hop to it.”
“Meanwhile,” the 9-1-1 actress said, speaking on how her different parenting approach usually ends up working out, “I’m 25 feet away and I either have to guilt-trip them or pull things away or just leave the room — just throw my hands up and go to my own corner and try to think of some other way to get them to do what they know they need to do.”
“I’m the good cop,” she emphasized to Corden. Sharing what she often says to her kids, she continued, “I tell them, ‘I am your “good time” so you don’t want to mess with me.'”
All things being considered, Bassett spoke with Madame Noire back in January and emphasized that being a role model to her kids as a loving, working mom was something she valued. Despite apparently being the more easy-going parent, the actress highlighted the importance of teaching her kids lifelong skills to help them learn to take care of themselves.
“… I think just being a mom, getting up, going to work, being a boss, and being passionate about what you do — I think that’s a perfect role model for a little girl and a little boy to see,” Bassett told us. “You’re not a mom from the 60s — it’s not just, ‘Here’s a clean house and a meal.’ You know what? I’m gonna teach you how to make your own meal. By the time you leave here, you’re going to have five good meals in your pocket. You will learn to take care of yourself as well. Let me show you how to iron these shirts.”
See Bassett’s full interview with Corden down below.
