For the Actress Playing Hen's Mom, '9-1-1' Marks Her First Onscreen Appearance in Over 20 Years
Published May 17 2021, 10:15 p.m. ET
Season 4 of 9-1-1 has viewers on the edge of their seats, and the suspense shows no sign of slowing down — especially since we're nearing the end of the fourth season!
Things on the FOX show have been especially dicey for Henrietta "Hen" Wilson (Aisha Hinds), whose personal life has recently been coming to the forefront.
Ever since her mom, Toni, announced she was moving into her LA neighborhood, things have been tense for Hen. And the drama reached a fever pitch in the episode "There Goes the Neighborhood," when Henrietta overheard her mom discussing her career with her wife, Karen (Tracie Thoms). Yikes!
So, who plays Henrietta's mom in 9-1-1? Keep reading to learn exactly where you've seen this legendary actress before.
Who plays Henrietta's mom in '9-1-1'?
While the 118 rushed to save a man who had been pinned under a Humvee in "There Goes the Neighborhood," Hen's life was turned upside down when she received an unexpected knock on her door from her mother, Toni.
"We're in the middle of a pandemic, you can't just show up at people's houses," Hen told her mom, shocked by her unannounced arrival.
"You're not people, you're my family!" Toni responds and is luckily greeted by the warm, welcoming hugs of her two grandchildren, after sarcastically telling her daughter not to act so happy about her surprise arrival.
Toni tells Hen and Karen that she managed to find a "cute little Airbnb" for the time being, but it's clear that she left her home in Las Vegas to find a more permanent stop for herself in LA, where she can be closer to Hen and her family.
Toni's arrival into '9-1-1' was even more complicated than we could have expected.
It seems there's more to the story, as it turns out Toni actually lost her job and was evicted. Due to the difficult circumstances, she's now moved into Hen and Karen's household. Now that she's completely intertwined her life with her daughter's, it's impossible to ignore when something big comes up, and the big happened in Season 4, Episode 13.
In the Season 4 episode titled, "Suspicion," Toni came down with a mysterious illness and was rushed to the hospital.
When the white male doctor looked Hen and Toni up and down and refused to run tests, Hen and her doctor cohorts did the work of figuring out what Toni's ailment was, like in an episode of House. Thanks to their medical sleuthing, they were able to get Toni the tests she needed for an otherwise fatal incident.
So, who plays Henrietta's mom in '9-1-1'?
Fans rushed to figure out where they recognized the familiar face of Hen's mom, and it turns out that she's played by legendary actress Marsha Warfield.
What's more, her role as Antonia "Toni" Wilson marks her first onscreen appearance in over two decades for the self-described "Queen Mother Goddess of Modern Comedy"!
According to Marsha's IMDb page, the actress hasn't appeared in any TV show or film since 1999's TV series Veronica's Closet, but until then, she worked prolifically in Hollywood. The actress appeared on TV shows like The Richard Pryor Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Empty Nest, Living Single, and Smart Guy, and starred as Rosalind "Roz" Russell in Night Court.
As far as movies go, you might recognize this "out and proud Black lesbian and talented actress" from her roles in Caddyshack II, The Whoopee Boys, Mask, and D.C. Cab.
Marsha is excited as ever for her guest appearance on '9-1-1.'
Following her character's introduction on 9-1-1 in early March, Marsha took to Instagram to express her gratitude to all the fans who have supported her career. "Thank you all for your support throughout the years," she wrote. "You lift me up, hold me down, and always have my back. I love and appreciate you more than you will ever know. My only hope is to make you proud."
Don't miss Marsha on 9-1-1 when new episodes air, Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on FOX.
