Angela Bassett's Clever Reference in '9-1-1' Season 7 Premiere Sparks Laughter

9-1-1 Recap Angela Bassett References

“9-1-1” stars Angela Bassett as Athena Grant Disney/Justin Stephens

Angela Bassett seemingly used the 9-1-1 season 7 premiere to side-eye her 2023 Oscars loss.

Warning: Spoilers below for the 9-1-1 season 7 premiere. 

During the premiere of the ABC series on Thursday, March 14, Bassett, aged 65, is shown attending therapy before her character, Athena Grant, and husband Bobby Nash's (played by Peter Krause) cruise ship honeymoon. She shares her feelings of "dread" about spending several weeks on a boat, revealing that her fear comes from watching a movie with her parents when she was young.

The movie in question is called The Poseidon Adventure, a 1972 film about a group of passengers who must fight for survival after their cruise ship is overturned by a rogue wave. One scene that particularly affected Athena was when the ship capsized and a man fell through a glass ceiling.

When the therapist reacts to Athena's fear by rolling his eyes, she mentions that the movie was a big production with Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters. Shelley Winters was even nominated for best supporting actress at the 1972 Oscars.

Curious, the therapist asks Athena if she won. After a pause, Athena shakes her head and replies, "No, she did not win."

Eileen Heckart won the statue that year instead of Winters. However, last year at the 95th Academy Awards, Angela Bassett experienced her own loss. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Unfortunately, she did not win and Jamie Lee Curtis took home the award for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

After the ceremony, Bassett's facial expression in response to the loss became a viral sensation online. Many thought she appeared disappointed, but Bassett believed she handled the situation well.

She mentioned in a recent interview that she believed she handled the situation effectively. Despite feeling extremely disappointed, she acknowledged that experiencing disappointment is a normal human emotion. She felt like she dealt with it in a way that reflected her humanity.

9-1-1 Recap Angela Bassett References

Angela Bassett stars as Athena Grant in "9-1-1". She shared, "There will be times of disappointment, but it's important how we react to them. We will choose to smile, be gracious, show kindness, and keep on partying."

In January, she received an honorary Academy Award at the Governor Awards. During a March episode of Live! With Kelly and Mark, Bassett shared about the ups and downs of award season. She revealed that her 18-year-old twins Slater and Bronwyn, whom she shares with husband Courtney B. Vance, were just as disappointed as she was when she didn't win at the Oscars.

"They were there with me that night, and when it didn't happen, they were really let down," she said. "It was a good opportunity to teach them to handle disappointments with grace, to keep moving forward, and to continue pursuing their dreams. Things can change in just 24 hours, so it's important to keep going."

On Monday's episode, there was a playful mention of the Oscars, which was probably a nod to Bassett's successful film career. She is now a two-time nominee for an Oscar. Currently, she is focusing on the small screen with the return of season 7 of 9-1-1 on ABC, after being canceled by Fox.

The three-part premiere is expected to bring a lot of drama, but the first part was more about humor and relationships as viewers reconnect with the characters. In this episode, Athena and Bobby are shown in a lighter mood, finding a new groove in their relationship as they take a break from the intense life of first responders and enjoy a sailing trip.

In the episode, Buck and Eddie team up to teach Eddie's son Christopher about dating. Buck also reveals he is single now, and Maddie and Chimney work on keeping their romance alive. Disaster looms ahead, requiring a roll room set to bring it to life.

Showrunner Tim Minear recently shared with Entertainment Weekly what viewers can anticipate in the upcoming high-seas trouble that will lead into the show's 100th episode.

"Bobby and Athena may be on their honeymoon, but their relationship isn't without its challenges. There are unspoken conflicts between them, like Athena's concern that they may run out of things to talk about once the excitement dies down," he shared with the media. "As we reach the middle of episode 2, their love story becomes like Titanic - a grand tale of two souls destined for each other, even in the face of danger."

Catch the latest episodes of 9-1-1 season 7 on ABC every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

Editor's P/S:

Angela Bassett's performance in the 9-1-1 season 7 premiere has sparked speculation that she may have been making a subtle reference to her recent Oscars loss. In the episode, Bassett's character, Athena Grant, discusses a movie she watched as a child that left her with a fear of cruise ships. The therapist dismisses her fear, but Athena points out that the movie was "a big production" with notable actors and that one of the actresses was nominated for an Oscar but did not win. This parallels Bassett's own experience at the 95th Academy Awards, where she was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever but ultimately lost to Jamie Lee Curtis.

Bassett has previously stated that she handled her Oscars loss with grace and disappointment, acknowledging that it is a normal human emotion. However, her character's comments in the 9-1-1 premiere suggest that she may still be processing her loss and that it could have contributed to her feelings of trepidation about the cruise ship honeymoon. Regardless of whether or not Bassett intended to reference her Oscars loss in the episode, her performance highlights the complex emotions that can accompany disappointment and the importance of finding ways to cope with them in a healthy way.