Angela Bassett appears to reference bitter 2023 Oscar loss on 9-1-1 season 7 premiere after admitting to being ‘gobsmacked’

Angela Bassett may have gotten the final word on her 2023 Oscar loss during the season seven premiere of her hit show 9-1-1 on Thursday night, after admitting she was “stunned” by losing to Jamie Lee Curtis.

The Critics Choice Award winner, 65, whose husband Courtney B. Vance has yet to see the show, stars as Athena Grant in the hit ABC drama.

In a scene with her therapist, Athena talks about being nervous about taking the cruise planned for her honeymoon with her new husband, Bobby Nash, played by Peter Krause.

During the session, she reveals that she was traumatized by the 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure, about a luxury ship capsized by a huge tidal wave in the middle of a New Year’s celebration.

Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters starred in the disaster film, and Winters received an Academy Award nomination for her work.

“Did she win?” the doctor asked Athena. ‘No. She didn’t do that,” the LAPD sergeant responded.

The honor went to actress Eileen Heckert for her supporting role in Butterflies are Free.

The script appeared to draw comparisons to Bassett’s own loss in the Best Supporting Actress category at the 2023 ceremonies. The win went to Jamie Lee Curtis, 65, who starred alongside Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Bassett admitted this Oprah Winfrey she was ‘stunned’ by the loss but thought she was ‘handling it really well’, despite her dejected reaction after the ceremony going viral.

The esteemed actress was nominated for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Although Bassett’s nod was one of five nominations that year, the action-adventure only won for Best Achievement in Costume Design.

“I didn’t understand the whole ‘Angela Bassett face,'” Winfrey said. “I thought, wow, you see you were expecting something different, but you were still as kind as a queen would be.”

‘Absolute. For myself and for my children, who were with me, yes,” Bassett replied.

During the episode, Bassett’s Athena Grant tells her therapist she’s nervous about the honeymoon with new husband Bobby Nash, played by Peter Krause.

In her therapy session, Athena references 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure and mentions actress Shelley Winters, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress but lost

After the 2023 Oscars, Bassett was criticized for remaining stoic and not smiling or clapping for Jamie Lee Curtis, who won Best Supporting Actress.

“I know a pastor who says, ‘Technology is different, people are the same.’ There will be moments of disappointment that they will experience.”

‘But how do you handle yourself among them? We’re going to smile, we’re going to be friendly, we’re going to be kind, we’re going to party no matter what.”

In a recent interview on Live! With Kelly and Markthe Golden Globe winner said her husband and 18-year-old twins Bronwyn and Slater were surprised by the outcome, but the loss became a life lesson.

In recent interviews with Oprah Winfrey and on Live! With Kelly and Mark, Bassett insisted she was disappointed but dealt with her loss with grace

Bassett received an honorary Oscar for inspiring audiences around the world with her powerful and fearless performances at the 2024 Governor’s Awards

“They were extremely disappointed, as young people can sometimes be,” she said.

“But it was a teachable moment to, you know, carry yourself, hold yourself and go to the parties with grace.”

“And know that, just keep keeping one foot in front of the other, keep going, keep following your dreams. Because 24 hours, what a difference a day makes.’

Earlier this year, the Academy recognized Bassett’s contributions to the arts and named her the recipient of an Honorary Award at the 2024 Governor’s Awards for inspiring audiences around the world with her powerful and fearless performances.