Angela Bassett's '9-1-1' Pay Raise Could Make Her TV's Highest-Paid Drama Actress Of Color Ever

KEY POINTS

Angela Bassett will earn "north of $450,000" per episode on "9-1-1" after negotiating a pay raise, a report says
Her new salary is among the highest on network television
Bassett's fellow series regulars on "9-1-1" also received a 25% pay increase

Angela Bassett could make history after securing a massive pay raise for her show, "9-1-1," a report says.

Ahead of the "9-1-1" Season 5 fall premiere, Bassett and the rest of the series regulars on the Fox procedural drama negotiated 25% pay increases after lengthy discussions, Deadline reported.

With the salary increase, the series' star, Bassett, is set to receive "north of $450,000" per episode starting next season, according to the report. The outlet noted that this figure, which is among the highest on network television, could make Bassett TV's highest-paid drama actress of color on a broadcast drama series.

Aside from leading "9-1-1," the Oscar-nominated actress also helped creator Ryan Murphy develop the series and serves as executive producer for it and its Southern spinoff, "9-1-1: Lone Star."

In comparison, Kerry Washington started with $80,000 per episode on "Scandal" and ended up with $250,000 per episode by the finale, TVLine reported. Viola Davis reportedly made $250,000 per episode in the first two seasons of "How to Get Away With Murder" but was receiving an estimated $450,000 by the finale.

Despite the pay increase, however, Bassett will still earn much less than Ellen Pompeo, who makes $575,000 per episode of "Grey's Anatomy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This totals to $20 million per season of the long-running medical drama for Pompeo, who was listed the 10th highest-paid actress on television by Forbes.

As for the rest of the "9-1-1" cast, the show's male lead, Peter Krause, will reportedly have the second biggest paycheck on the show, around $300,000 per episode. He is followed by Jennifer Love Hewitt, who joined the show in Season 2. She succeeded Connie Britton, who shared top billing with Bassett and Krause in Season 1.

The rest of the series regulars, including original cast members Aisha Hinds, Rockmond Dunbar, Kenneth Choi, Ryan Guzman and Oliver Stark, will earn $80,000 per episode next season and potentially $100,000 an episode in Season 6, according to Deadline.

"9-1-1" Season 5 is set to premiere on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. EDT/PT on Fox.