Angela Bassett has opened up about her future on 911 and what could be next for Athena!
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for the 911 season 9 finale
Athena Grant has been through a lot on 911 from raising a family to the tragic death of her beloved husband Bobby (Peter Krause). Season 9 put her through more challenges, culminating in being shot by a corrupt cop while taking down a drug lord. Thankfully, Athena pulled through thanks to the rest of the 118 protecting her.
The experience included Athena seeing a vision of her former partner and mentor, Brogan McCluskey (Karl Makinen), who not only encouraged her to survive but also to take the next step in her career. The last scene showed Athena back on the job, only instead of being in uniform as a patrol officer, she was now a detective at a homicide scene.
That promises a big change for the character, although a question is whether this means less of Angela Bassett on the series. At the Disney Upfronts, the actress talked to Extra TV about whether she’s back for season 10 or not.
“I believe I'm okay. (laughing) I think I'm fine. I'm healing.”
When asked if she was back in season 10, Bassett replied, “I hope so…I have not received a call as of yet. But we're on break, so anything could happen. But let's hope for the best. I certainly am.”
It may seem hard to believe 911 would let Angela Bassett go, as the veteran actress has been with the show since the beginning. However, several TV shows have had to deal with curtailed budgets, and that often means having to cut down on the cast. Given that Bassett has one of the bigger contracts (reportedly half a million dollars per episode), the concern that the producers may drop her is high.
Bassett’s words sound like she’s planning to stick around for a while, which should make fans happy. She will be returning to the American Horror Story franchise with a role in the planned 13th season of the horror anthology series. That may curtail her work on 911.
This may be a reason for Angela’s new promotion to detective. It’s a way to keep Bassett on the show, only not as in focus so much. Athena will no longer be on the streets or involved in these emergencies. Rather, she can pop in for a scene or two, helping the team investigate a case on her own or with a new partner. Maybe it can even play on Athena finally moving on after losing Bobby.
Bassett discussed the change, admitting she’s not sure herself what will be happening with Athena in this new season. She did admit that she won’t miss wearing the heavy equipment of a patrol officer and that being in plain clothes means “less visits to the chiropractor.”
It’s among the many questions for season 10, so fans are hopeful that Bassett sticks around for a while longer, even if Angela’s role on 911 is decreased.
911 is streaming on Hulu.
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