4 Years Later, Angela Bassett's History-Making 9-1-1 Record Still Hasn't Been Broken

Fans of ABC’s (formerly Fox’s) 9-1-1 have raved about its characters from the start. The endearing members of LAFD’s Station 118 have been capturing hearts since 2018. However, thanks to the show’s wider focus on first responders, they’re not the only series regulars. Fans have also gotten to know LAPD’s beat cop, Sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett).

As one of the show’s “founding” characters, Grant has an understandably huge impact on the world of 9-1-1. While she may not be a formal part of the central 118, her continual support makes her a surrogate member of the close-knit crew. Off-screen, Angela Bassett is also the highest-paid member of the show’s expansive cast.

Angela Bassett Portrays Sergeant Athena Grant on 9-1-1

• Athena’s badge number, 1275, is a reference to I-275. Though seemingly insignificant, this thoroughfare is one of the major arteries running through Bassett’s hometown of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Athena Grant is first introduced to viewers in the show’s pilot. Like the rest of her cast, her role only grows from there. Though initially showcased as a no-nonsense cop and strict mother, Athena’s personality organically grows into something more approachable and warm as the series continues. By the end of the first season, she’s wormed her way into Captain Nash’s heart. Throughout the series, fans get to know more about Athena’s past. Sergeant Grant happily maintains a longstanding friendship with Henriette “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds). By extension, her camaraderie with the 118 precedes her relationship with Bobby. Her first fiancé, fellow police force worker Emmett Washington (Jeff Pierre), was killed during a 1991 robbery.

These facts, among many others, make Athena one of the show’s most intriguing characters. They also enmesh her in the lives of the beloved 188, even after Bobby’s tragic death at the end of Season 8. While some believe otherwise, there are plenty of story-related reasons for Athena to stick around. There’s also some considerable behind-the-scenes motivation for actress Angela Bassett to stick around.

Angela Bassett Is the Highest-Paid Member of 9-1-1’s Cast

• Despite playing one of the leading roles, actor Peter Krause’s pay per episode topped out at $300,000. Though considerable, this hefty paycheck still falls short of Bassett’s.

In 2021, Deadline reported Bassett had secured a contract guaranteeing her a whopping $450,000 per episode. While no update has been given since then, it’s safe to assume her salary has risen. That’s a tidy sum for anyone, of course, but it’s particularly ground-breaking for Bassett, an already prominent woman of color. Unfortunately, despite contrary on-screen evidence, the entertainment industry still has some distressingly vast wealth gaps. Women are already paid less than their male counterparts, and women of color — particularly Black women — get an even smaller cut of an already downsized pie.

Her presence was one of the show’s greatest draws in 2018. She, like 9-1-1: Lone Star’s Rob Lowe, acted as an established “hook” to gain uncertain viewers’ trust. As an award-winning actress, she injected the then-fledgling procedural with immense gravitas. As corny as that may sound, it certainly worked; people tuned in to see Bassett and have been enjoying the 118’s adventures ever since.

In a just world, that should have meant that Basset would take home a proportionally massive cut of the show’s earnings. While no concrete information was released about her pay in earlier seasons, statistics would suggest otherwise. Black women in leading roles just don’t get the pay they deserve. Even with no additional raises, Bassett’s record-breaking agreement has earned her plenty of money. For clarity’s sake, one can assume that she has maintained the same $450,000-per-episode standard for the past three seasons. The talented actress has appeared in every episode of the show, including its Doctor Odyssey crossover, and that fact remains true for Seasons 5 through 8 — that’s 64 episodes total.

With her 2021 pay rate, that means Bassett has since earned a massive $28.8 million from 9-1-1. Thanks to her Season 5 pay bump, she is now out-earning all of her fellow cast members by at least $100,000. That figure reflects more than her cinematic pedigree; it’s a sign of positive progress. Now, other actresses can use that figure in their negotiations. After all, if Bassett can get such a considerable slice of 9-1-1’s profits, why shouldn’t other talented Black actresses?