Credit: Gage Skidmore, Touchstone PicturesAfter a long battle with illness, soul and rock and roll icon Tina Turner passed away at her home in Switzerland at the age of 83. Since then, many celebrities have paid tribute to her, with some of the most memorable being Angela Bassett and Cher.
Related: Ray Stevenson Remembered in Tribute From His Last Director
Originally starting out with her husband as part of Ike and Tina Turner, Tina Turner is one of the most beloved rock and roll and soul singers of all time. Known for her raspy voice and energetic performances, Turner would go on to win 12 Grammy Awards and have three songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame: “River Deep – Mountain High,” “Proud Mary,” and “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
Tina Turner was also an incredible actress, with iconic performances in Tommy (1975), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), and Last Action Hero (1993). Multiple projects have been created about her life, including What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993), the Broadway Musical Tina: The Tina Turner Story (2019), and the documentary Tina (2021) on HBO.
Needless to say, Tina Turner has left a lasting impact on the culture as a whole with her incredible songs, vibrant performances, and sheer strength of personality. She has been fondly remembered by many following the news of her death, but none felt nearly as heartfelt as those of Angela Bassett and Cher.
Angela Bassett and Cher Think Tina Turner Was “Simply The Best”
Angela Bassett, who played Tina Turner in the biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It, remained close friends with Turner. After her passing, Bassett paid tribute to the icon on Instagram, mentioning that Turner’s final words to her were, “You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.”
She ended her tribute by saying that the world should be thankful for her “gift that will always be ‘Simply The Best.'”
How do we say farewell to a woman who owned her pain and trauma and used it as a means to help change the world? Through her courage in telling her story, her commitment to stay the course in her life, no matter the sacrifice, and her determination to carve out a space in rock and roll for herself and for others who look like her, Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion, and freedom should look like. Her final words to me – for me – were “You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.” I shall hold these words close to my heart for the rest of my days. I am honored to have known Tina Turner. I am humbled to have helped show her to the world. So on today, while we mourn the loss of this iconic voice and presence, she gave us more than we could have ever asked. She gave us her whole self. And Tina Turner is a gift that that will always be “simply the best.” Angels sing thee to thy rest…Queen.
Related: Celine Dion Reveals Rare Neurological Disorder, Cancels All Remaining Tour Dates
Another close friend to Tina Turner was Cher, who had a very similar career trajectory of success within a couple in the 70s, followed by a career resurgence in the 80s and 90s and some iconic film performances. Cher regularly visited Turner in her final days, mentioning that the two would spend hours laughing together.
“Someone said [to me], ‘When you two laugh together, it is the funniest thing that you could ever possibly want to hear’ because we both have such distinct laughs. But, she was really happy and, like, the first time I went [to visit] she was laying on a little chaise that she looks out at the lake.” Cher continued, “And she said, ‘I can’t spend too much time,’ and then five hours later we were laughing like crazy, and she wanted to get up and show everything that she’d bought in her house.”
Cher remained silent on Turner’s diagnosis and simply celebrated the icon, stating, “I think she’s one of the great artists in our generation… There was no other person like her. There was no other person who could come close to who she was.”
What’s your favorite Tina Turner song or moment? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!