Angela Bassett ‘to become one of TV’s highest-paid stars’ after securing eye-watering pay rise for 9-1-1

Angela Bassett has negotiated a hefty pay rise for 9-1-1 (Picture: FOX via Getty Images)

Angela Bassett has smashed through several ceilings to become one of TV’s highest-paid actors after landing a staggering pay rise.

The Oscar-nominated actress is reported to have negotiated a raise for her role in Fox series 9-1-1, which she helped to develop alongside American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy.

Since 2018, Angela has starred as Athena Grant in over 60 episodes of the drama, which follows first responders as they thrust themselves into the most high-pressure situations to save lives. 

According to Deadline, all series regulars on 9-1-1, which is Fox’s flagship drama, have secured pay rises ahead of season five. 

Angela, 62, is said to have secured a new salary of more than $450,000 (£323,000) per episode, which makes her one of network television’s highest-paid actors – whether male or female. 

It’s also believed to be the highest salary for an actress of colour starring in a TV drama series. 

The programme’s lead male, Peter Krauss, has reportedly landed a 25% raise with more than $300k (£215k) per episode, making for the second biggest salary on the series. 

Angela and Peter Krauss will return for season five with a thicker pay packet (Picture: FOX via Getty Images)

Jennifer Love Hewitt, who joined in season two, follows in third place replacing former lead star Connie Britton. 

Angela’s salary is more than deserved as she is also an executive producer on spin-off series 9-1-1: Lone Star as well as the main show in addition to her starring role. 

Reacting to her potentially history-making achievement, one fan commented: ‘As she should. She’s a legend in Hollywood. They better pay her accordingly like they pay everyone else.’ 

‘Give the queen her coins!!! Yesssss!’ another cheered. 

One other fan said: ‘Angela Bassett is the heart of that series and deserves every penny she makes.’ 

Angela certainly has a busy schedule coming up as she has also reprised her role in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever. 

Angela is getting the salary she deserves (Picture: Getty Images)

She’ll return as King T’Challa’s mother Queen Ramonda but it’ll be bittersweet for Angela, as it’s the first Black Panther movie since Chadwick Boseman’s death in August 2020. 

Opening up about the direction for the upcoming blockbuster, Angela recently told Entertainment Weekly: ‘I don’t know what it’s going to look like at all. There have been about five incarnations of the script and I hear another one’s coming.

‘Of course, with our dear king [Boseman] going on to glory, a lot of things had to be shifted and changed. 

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‘So, thankfully, [director] Ryan [Coogler] and [writer] Joe Robert Cole, they’re just such masterful storytellers that they’ve found a way into this world and hopefully it will be satisfying, I think, for the fans and it will be honourable of our Chad. We love our king.’

A premiere date for 9-1-1 season five is yet to be announced.

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