‘Abbott Elementary’ Star Quinta Brunson on Janine’s Surprising Swearing in the ‘Always Sunny’ Crossover and Season 5’s Philly Sports Cameo
If there’s one thing that’s true about “Abbott Elementary,” it’s that the hit ABC comedy wears its Philly colors loud and proud, particularly in terms of featuring the city’s local sports teams.
So far, “Abbott” has featured cameos from Eagles stars Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham in the Season 3 premiere (plus the NFL team later brought the Super Bowl trophy to set), as well as a funny Season 2 storyline with the Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot Gritty. And, at San Diego Comic-Con, series creator and star Quinta Brunson teased that there are more surprises to come.
“You can expect us to be filming at a live event,” Brunson told the crowd, somewhat cryptically. “You can do with that information what you will, because I can’t give you more information. But I do think that Philly sports fans will be very happy.”
In general, “Abbott” fans have plenty to smile about: the show was just nominated for six more Primetime Emmys, including outstanding comedy series, and the crew is already hard at work on Season 5, which returns October 1. So, the Comic-Con panel was a bit of a victory lap for the team — Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis and EPs Patrick Schumacker, Randall Einhorn and Brian Rubenstein — and their devoted viewers packed into the Indigo Ballroom to hear all the behind-the-scenes scoop, including one awesome fan who cosplayed as Mr. D.N.A. (a reference to Janine and Gregory’s couples costume in this season’s Halloween episode).
A post shared by Abbott Elementary (@abbottelemabc)
After the panel, the “Abbott” cast dropped by the Comic Con Variety Studio presented by Google TV and dished about what’s to come in Season 5, including what’s next for Janine and Gregory (Is he really driving Uber because of money troubles? Or is he saving up for something else?). Plus, Brunson addressed Janine’s surprising use of the C-word in the “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” crossover episode.
“It didn’t seem that jarring to me because it’s not like I don’t cuss — well, that word is just wild and British, but I just don’t … it’s not very American swearing — so, I just said it. I read my lines and did my job,” Brunson said, noting how nice it felt to “just be an actor” on the FX comedy versus “Abbott,” where she’s got multiple jobs. “So, it wasn’t until it aired that I saw it, and I was like ‘Yikes, that’s wild,'” she continued, laughing. “There have been so many disappointed mothers in my inbox.”
To be clear, Janine doesn’t have a potty mouth, but the hilarious outburst was a direct reaction to “Always Sunny’s” Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and her underhanded attempt to pursue Gregory during the crossover episodes.
Williams said that Janine’s “possessiveness” has been one of the most fun things to explore as her and Gregory’s will-they-or-won’t-they flirtation has progressed into real relationship territory,
“One of the most fun things to me is how she can get a little jealous at times, which is a color we just never thought we would see on her,” he explained. “This is another way to find out more about these characters — very similarly to what’s happening with Ava and O’Shon [Matthew Law]. Any relationship can crack open a character differently than anything else.”
Indeed, James has relished getting to show a new side of Ava now that she’s boo’d up with the school district’s IT representative. “I keep telling Quinta, I feel like I’m in a rom-com, which is my favorite genre,” James said. “I thought it was exciting and also important to show that self-sabotage that both men and women do when trying to have adult relationships. Not all of us. Not me. I’m healed.” (“I self-sabotage all the time,” Walter chimed in, cracking everyone up.)
The “Abbott” writers room has completed scripts for eight of the show’s 22-episode order thus far, so what’s going down at our favorite public elementary school?
“Every year, our writers know more and more what we can do and the exact sound of our instrument,” Perfetti said, teasing that “they’re certainly leaning into the physical comedy” for his anxiety-riddled teacher, Jacob.
Walter teased more transformation for the tough-talking Melissa. “There was a way that [she] has always kind of been — guarded and ‘I have set ideas about things,’ and ‘You are not going to deter me.’ Some of the stuff [in the new scripts] is like, ‘Maybe I can look at things a little differently,'” Walter explained. “Getting closer to some of these young people has changed her a little bit.” (“You ate that right up,” Brunson said. “You’re locked in. That’s how we talk about her in the room.”)
And for Mr. Johnson, the school’s janitor/Renaissance man, Davis said: “He’s worked all over the world, and I get surprised every season with something new that he’s done, maybe he’s an astronaut.”
As they prepare to return to set, Ralph said she finds herself pondering why an educator with the longevity of Barbara Howard continues to teach. “Of all of the Barbara Howards that I’ve met and even the ones that I’m meeting now, they all say the same thing: they love what they do and they love it so much that they want to keep doing that. Which, to me, I find so fascinating,” she said. “I love what I want to do too, but I look forward to the break. They’re not looking forward to the break.”
Answering that question — why each teacher returns year after year — is key to the DNA of “Abbott,” Williams concurred. “That’s such a big thing that kind of looms over every school year, that I think that people take for granted,” he said. “We saw it with Ava’s firing this year: these people don’t need to stay in this school. Every year, they have to choose to stay here.”
Watch the full interview in the video above.
So far, “Abbott” has featured cameos from Eagles stars Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham in the Season 3 premiere (plus the NFL team later brought the Super Bowl trophy to set), as well as a funny Season 2 storyline with the Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot Gritty. And, at San Diego Comic-Con, series creator and star Quinta Brunson teased that there are more surprises to come.
“You can expect us to be filming at a live event,” Brunson told the crowd, somewhat cryptically. “You can do with that information what you will, because I can’t give you more information. But I do think that Philly sports fans will be very happy.”
In general, “Abbott” fans have plenty to smile about: the show was just nominated for six more Primetime Emmys, including outstanding comedy series, and the crew is already hard at work on Season 5, which returns October 1. So, the Comic-Con panel was a bit of a victory lap for the team — Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis and EPs Patrick Schumacker, Randall Einhorn and Brian Rubenstein — and their devoted viewers packed into the Indigo Ballroom to hear all the behind-the-scenes scoop, including one awesome fan who cosplayed as Mr. D.N.A. (a reference to Janine and Gregory’s couples costume in this season’s Halloween episode).
A post shared by Abbott Elementary (@abbottelemabc)
After the panel, the “Abbott” cast dropped by the Comic Con Variety Studio presented by Google TV and dished about what’s to come in Season 5, including what’s next for Janine and Gregory (Is he really driving Uber because of money troubles? Or is he saving up for something else?). Plus, Brunson addressed Janine’s surprising use of the C-word in the “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” crossover episode.
“It didn’t seem that jarring to me because it’s not like I don’t cuss — well, that word is just wild and British, but I just don’t … it’s not very American swearing — so, I just said it. I read my lines and did my job,” Brunson said, noting how nice it felt to “just be an actor” on the FX comedy versus “Abbott,” where she’s got multiple jobs. “So, it wasn’t until it aired that I saw it, and I was like ‘Yikes, that’s wild,'” she continued, laughing. “There have been so many disappointed mothers in my inbox.”
To be clear, Janine doesn’t have a potty mouth, but the hilarious outburst was a direct reaction to “Always Sunny’s” Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and her underhanded attempt to pursue Gregory during the crossover episodes.
Williams said that Janine’s “possessiveness” has been one of the most fun things to explore as her and Gregory’s will-they-or-won’t-they flirtation has progressed into real relationship territory,
“One of the most fun things to me is how she can get a little jealous at times, which is a color we just never thought we would see on her,” he explained. “This is another way to find out more about these characters — very similarly to what’s happening with Ava and O’Shon [Matthew Law]. Any relationship can crack open a character differently than anything else.”
Indeed, James has relished getting to show a new side of Ava now that she’s boo’d up with the school district’s IT representative. “I keep telling Quinta, I feel like I’m in a rom-com, which is my favorite genre,” James said. “I thought it was exciting and also important to show that self-sabotage that both men and women do when trying to have adult relationships. Not all of us. Not me. I’m healed.” (“I self-sabotage all the time,” Walter chimed in, cracking everyone up.)
The “Abbott” writers room has completed scripts for eight of the show’s 22-episode order thus far, so what’s going down at our favorite public elementary school?
“Every year, our writers know more and more what we can do and the exact sound of our instrument,” Perfetti said, teasing that “they’re certainly leaning into the physical comedy” for his anxiety-riddled teacher, Jacob.
Walter teased more transformation for the tough-talking Melissa. “There was a way that [she] has always kind of been — guarded and ‘I have set ideas about things,’ and ‘You are not going to deter me.’ Some of the stuff [in the new scripts] is like, ‘Maybe I can look at things a little differently,'” Walter explained. “Getting closer to some of these young people has changed her a little bit.” (“You ate that right up,” Brunson said. “You’re locked in. That’s how we talk about her in the room.”)
And for Mr. Johnson, the school’s janitor/Renaissance man, Davis said: “He’s worked all over the world, and I get surprised every season with something new that he’s done, maybe he’s an astronaut.”
As they prepare to return to set, Ralph said she finds herself pondering why an educator with the longevity of Barbara Howard continues to teach. “Of all of the Barbara Howards that I’ve met and even the ones that I’m meeting now, they all say the same thing: they love what they do and they love it so much that they want to keep doing that. Which, to me, I find so fascinating,” she said. “I love what I want to do too, but I look forward to the break. They’re not looking forward to the break.”
Answering that question — why each teacher returns year after year — is key to the DNA of “Abbott,” Williams concurred. “That’s such a big thing that kind of looms over every school year, that I think that people take for granted,” he said. “We saw it with Ava’s firing this year: these people don’t need to stay in this school. Every year, they have to choose to stay here.”
Watch the full interview in the video above.