Shooting the ABC show’s Season 7 comeback was “terrible”, an actress has revealed.
It Was Horrible!” Actress Opens Up About Filming Chaotic Season 7 Premiere of 9-1-1
Angela Bassett might have a shiny new Oscar at home, but that didn’t guarantee smooth sailing on her latest project.
“It was awful!” laughs the actress as she tells PEOPLE about the wet and wild experience of filming the season 7 premiere of ABC’s 9-1-1. The episode kicks off with a major disaster on a cruise ship, airing Thursday night.
In the premiere, Bassett’s character, Sergeant Athena Grant, finally gets to enjoy her honeymoon with her police captain husband Bobby (played by Peter Krause) after four long years. But hey, this is 9-1-1, so things get messy fast! A missing passenger, pirates, and a giant storm all join the party, making it anything but a relaxing getaway.
“You can probably imagine,” says Bassett, 65, “that scenario is anything but a relaxing honeymoon.
For the next few episodes, things got intense for Bassett. The storyline pays tribute to the classic disaster film “The Poseidon Adventure,” and filming meant trading in dry land for a giant water tank.
It wasn’t all misery though. “Apparently, they keep the water super warm, like 91 degrees,” she says with a touch of sarcasm. “That part was nice.” But the reality? “You’re stuck in there for hours on end, 12, 13, 14 sometimes. And let’s just say, you gotta trust the people you’re working with when you’re all soaked,” she laughs.
This whole water thing brought back memories for Bassett. Filming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” involved her character tragically drowning in a sacrifice. “Water again!” she jokes. “Seems to be a theme for me lately. Being soaked and cold all day is no fun, trust me. I love a hot shower as much as anyone, but not one that lasts 16 hours straight.”
There’s finally some good news for a fan-favorite couple on 9-1-1! After facing all sorts of challenges, Maddie (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) are finally getting married this season. And according to showrunner Tim Minear, things are finally going to go their way.
“We’re giving them a smooth ride this time,” Minear promised during a recent interview. Fans on Twitter have been rooting for them for so long, and Minear seems to be acknowledging that. “We’ve seen all the comments asking why they can’t just be happy,” he said. “Well, guess what? They will be happy! Their wedding is going to be amazing.”
Angela Bassett wears many hats! On top of acting in the thrilling drama 9-1-1 (and its spin-off!), she’s also an executive producer for both shows.
In a recent interview with People, she opened up about the challenges of filming 18 episodes a year. “It’s definitely a lot of work,” she admits. “There are days I leave for the set before the sun even comes up, and by the time I get home to my husband Courtney and our 18-year-old twins, Bronwyn and Slater, it’s already dark.”
While the long hours can be tough, Angela says there’s a bigger reason she pushes through it. “I want my children to see a strong Black woman chasing her dreams and achieving success,” she explains. “I hope they see that hard work pays off, and that they can go out there and achieve anything they set their minds to.
