The iconic actress gets another milestone in her career.

Angela Bassett is adding new chapters to her long illustrious career in showbiz, recently earning her first Emmy Award. The acclaimed actress was honored at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday (Sept. 7), winning the award for Outstanding Narration for her work on National Geographic’s nature documentary Queens. Backstage, Bassett reflected on the significance of this achievement.

“We don’t work for these awards, but receiving them is a testament to all the hard work we put in,” Bassett shared. “Even though this was for narration, it’s not something you do alone. There’s an entire team that believed in me, fought for me, and collaborated with me to bring this incredible story of female wildlife to life. This project was especially inspiring, being led by an all-female production team—the first of its kind in wildlife documentary filmmaking.”

HER ROLE ON 9-11 TELEVISION SERIES

When asked what drew her to the project, Bassett mentioned that she accepted the role during the off-season of her show 9-1-1 on FX. “I was exhausted after playing a cop and chasing down bad guys. The idea of joining an all-female crew to tell a story about matriarchs in the wild and their conservation efforts—it really touched my heart.”

Bassett also expressed her surprise at winning one of the major awards, saying, “This is one of the big ones, and it’s not something that happens often. Being acknowledged like this is incredible. I’m just a girl who wanted to act, inspired by my mentors who were ahead of me. I put my focus, energy, and love into my craft, hoping to make it a reality in my life.”

In addition to her Emmy win, Bassett was honored with an honorary Oscar in January 2024, further solidifying her legacy in the industry.