Despite her recent Oscar win, Angela Bassett found herself facing a different kind of challenge while filming the season 7 premiere of ABC’s 9-1-1.
“It was a tough experience,” the actress admits with a chuckle, referring to the soaked reality of shooting a cruise ship disaster for the show’s upcoming episode airing Thursday night.
In the premiere, Bassett’s character, field sergeant Athena, and her police captain husband Bobby (played by Peter Krause) embark on their long-awaited honeymoon. However, the blissful trip takes a dramatic turn when a passenger disappears, pirates strike, and a menacing storm approaches.
“It’s definitely not your typical honeymoon scenario,” Bassett, 65, remarks. Filming the intense three-episode disaster sequence, reminiscent of scenes from The Poseidon Adventure, required Bassett to navigate a massive water tank.
Despite the challenging conditions, Bassett finds a silver lining in the warm water temperatures maintained on set. However, spending long hours submerged in water poses its own set of challenges, prompting Bassett to trust her cast and crew implicitly.
The grueling shoot brought back memories of filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, particularly the scenes where her character Queen Ramonda faces a tragic drowning. “It seems water is a recurring theme for me,” she quips. “Being wet and cold all day is definitely uncomfortable. Who doesn’t enjoy a hot shower, but enduring it for 15, 16 hours? Not so much.”
Amidst the chaos on the show, there’s a ray of hope for one couple: Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi), whose wedding promises a smoother storyline this season.
Bassett, who also serves as an executive producer on 9-1-1 and its spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star, acknowledges the demanding nature of filming 18 episodes annually for the high-energy network drama.
Despite the challenges, Bassett sees her commitment to her craft as an opportunity to set an example for her children, emphasizing the value of hard work and perseverance.
Season 7 of 9-1-1 premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.