For Emmy-nominated actress Angela Bassett, the art of getting dressed for the red carpet revolves around one thing: trusting her team. “In the beginning of my career I was just excited that someone was going to do my hair or makeup,” the actress recalls. “But over time you find the right personalities and fall in love with the way different people make you look and feel. It’s an intimate experience.”

This year, Bassett is nominated for a Primetime Emmy for best supporting actress as a compassionate voodoo priestess in American Horror Story: Coven. She also recently wrapped Whitney, a biopic on the late Whitney Houston and Bassett’s directorial debut. Both will require much red-carpet prep over the coming months.

Of course, Bassett is no stranger to the ritual of getting dressed. The actress has nabbed numerous nominations and awards for films like What’s Love Got to Do With It and The Rosa Parks Story, both of which reflect a notable career of playing strong, tenacious women. (To wit: her unyielding performances in Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.)

The Hollywood legend was photographed at VIOLET GREY with her team. There was discussion of the ritual of getting dressed (for both the red carpet and her varied film roles), her skin secrets, and more, below.