Bassett’s costar Aisha Hinds also shared a remembrance on social media.
The cast of 9-1-1 are mourning the death of series crew member Rico Priem.
The show’s star, Angela Bassett, commented on the passing of Priem, a grip on the Fox series, at the Disney/ABC upfront event. “The studio, 9-1-1, we all extend our deepest condolences to his friends to his family,” Bassett told Entertainment Tonight. “It was just a very, very sad moment. We’re all rocked by it, certainly.”
Bassett, who portrays Athena Grant, also noted that this is the first time the cast and crew have faced the death of one of their own. “We have births, you know, we have weddings and now to experience this,” Bassett said. “We just had to take a moment, just take time and take a moment. We thought it was important to come together and have whatever bit of service and offer whatever we can do to his family because we know that we’ll miss him but we know they will miss him even more.”
Priem died early Saturday morning in a car accident driving home from a 14-hour overnight shift on the show.
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Cast member Aisha Hinds, who portrays Henrietta “Hen” Wilson on the show, also commented on the tragedy in an emotional social media post, sharing that she was “devastated.”
“Words….ever insufficient…none able to carry the harrowing heartbreak reverberating through our 9-1-1 family,” Hinds wrote. “As the industry processes the passing of one of our invaluable and invested individuals—notably loyal, thus lauded and loved for his commitment to his craft and sharing the wisdom he’d gleaned from decades of working in this industry, hearts are heavy navigating feelings of grief and gratitude for the life of Rico Priem.”
“The unsung heroes of our show, any show really, are the scores of crew members whose names seldom move from the back of call sheets to household names though they contribute an immense amount of time, talent, and tenacity to servicing the stories that fill our screens-small and large.” she continued. “Time that seems invisible to the untrained eye, but it is NOT. Our crews are the cornerstone of our community. Their individual effort and areas of expertise create a cumulative effect, ensuring the work we do, the characters we portray lands in the lives of audiences around the world. The crew is integral to the execution of every idea that begins in the minds of creatives becoming long lasting memories and moments that live on in the hearts of humanity.”
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“Rico graced us with his presence and passion,” Hinds continued, “before he passed away in the early morning hours on Saturday, May 11th. It is the hope and the unspoken assumption that when we wrap a days work, we will see each other again to do it all over again the next day. His passing has stilled our hearts and signaled for more conversation and care in that area. In this moment, I want to express deep love for our crew, and give thanks and reverence for the legacy of Rico Priem. Whispering a gentle prayer to the sacred soft spaces within his family’s hearts that ache in his absence.”
California Highway Patrol reports that Priem’s vehicle “left the roadway for unknown reasons, went up an embankment and flipped onto its roof.” Priem was pronounced dead at the scene, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Bassett also noted that the cast and crew had gathered to remember Priem and that “so many beautiful words were spoken of him.”
On Monday, 20th Television, the studio behind 9-1-1, shared a statement with EW: “On behalf of the studio and everyone at 9-1-1, we send our sincere and deepest condolences to Rico Priem’s family and friends.”
The AMPTP also shared a statement, writing, ““Our hearts go out to Rico Priem’s family, friends, and all of those who are impacted by this tragic loss of life.”
