Angela Bassett portrayed Ramona Royale in American Horror Story season 5, and the character’s creation was influenced by a controversial subgenre within the film industry. The figure served as one of the main characters in Hotel, a season that centered on a Los Angeles hotel and the spirits (living or dead) that reside within the building. To date, Bassett has played a total of five characters in the horror anthology created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. Though the actress has since moved on to Murphy’s drama series, 9-1-1, Bassett is open to returning to American Horror Story in the future.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

In Hotel, Ramona was a former film star and an ex-lover of Elizabeth (Lady Gaga), aka “The Countess.” Not only was the woman the co-owner of Hotel Cortez after marrying James Patrick March (Evan Peters) for his wealth, but Elizabeth was also a vampire. While Ramona was trying to take her film career to the next level, she met Elizabeth, and the two entered a romantic relationship that lasted at least a decade. During that time, Ramona acquired the blood virus while becoming Elizabeth’s progeny. She eventually moved on by finding a boyfriend, which drove Elizabeth to kill the man out of jealousy.

After a fractured relationship with Elizabeth and a failed acting career, Ramona returned home to take care of her sick parents. In the primary timeline, Ramona returned to Hotel Cortez to get revenge on Elizabeth for the pain she had caused. During her arc, more details regarding Ramona’s backstory were revealed, including the fact that she was a star in Blaxploitation films. The title, which was also referred to as “Blacksploitation”, is a very real sub-genre of movies that were made popular starting in the 1970s. An actress named Ramona Royale didn’t exist, but the character was surely inspired by some of the most prominent African-American actors from the genre.

The History Of Blaxploitation Films

Exploitation films were known for exploiting certain trends or niches throw low-quality projects, or “B-movies.” Blaxploitation movies were a popular sub-genre of exploitation films beginning in the early ’70s. Though the genre put Black actors at the front and center as the main characters, the movies often received backlash due to the use of dangerous stereotypes. Nonetheless, they were profitable, and the interest broadened across races. 1971’s Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song and Shaft marked the start of Blaxploitation, which carried on through the decade and beyond. Some of the most notable Blaxploitation movies include Super Fly, Blacula, Foxy Brown, Coffy, and Dolemite.

Whereas Pam Grier became one of the emerging stars that appeared in multiple Blaxspoitation movies before moving on to other genres, Ramona Royale never found success outside of B-movies. The fictional character starred in movies like Slaughter Sister, Silky Fine, and Bride of Blackenstein. Though they were made up, the titles were obvious nods to the very real films in the ’70s.

See also  Schitt's Creek: David's 10 Best Outfits, Ranked

Blaxploitation continues to serve as an influence in the world of modern-day cinema. Filmmakers have taken elements from the genre to incorporate into movie movies like Kill Bill Vol. 1, Django Unchained, and Proud Mary. There have also been parodies such as I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Black Dynamite. Despite the controversy, Blaxploitation remains as an important chapter in the history of film, explaining the continued relevance in recent references like the case with Ramona in American Horror Story.

Why Maisie Williams Resented Playing Game of Thrones’ Arya Stark

About The Author


Kara Hedash
(1745 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

More From Kara Hedash