Quinta Brunson Admits Criticism of Her ‘Abbott Elementary’ Character Janine Was “Tough”

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Quinta Brunson‘s mockumentary, titled Abbott Elementary, has garnered significant acclaim, yet it hasn’t managed to secure top marks from every critic.

On Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang with Amy” podcast, which aired on Tuesday, the Emmy-winning actress discussed the varied reactions to her portrayal of second-grade teacher Janine Teagues.

During our chat, I openly shared that Janine is a Black character,” Brunson expressed to Poehler. “It’s crucial for us as a community to see more characters on the screen who reflect our experiences, and the representation of Black womanhood in particular can be quite sensitive.

Brunson acknowledged that it was challenging for her when “women didn’t find Janine as they expected,” explaining she “comprehended their feelings.” Furthermore, the actress and creator of Abbott mentioned that initially, she hadn’t considered the role of Janine in terms of representation, but it ultimately came to represent something significant.

Brunson believes that it’s crucial to have characters that reflect our reality more closely, rather than being the ultimate depiction of us. He thinks this adds depth both on screen and in the broader public perception.

Brunson is a multi-talented individual who has been responsible for creating, writing, and acting in the ABC series “Abbott” since it first aired in 2021. This show focuses on a team of teachers at an elementary school with the same name in Philadelphia. So far, “Abbott” has received a total of 24 Emmy nominations and won 4, including Brunson’s award for outstanding actress in a comedy series in 2023 and another win for its exceptional writing in a comedy series in 2022.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the comedian expressed her delight at securing a fourth season of Abbott and shared that her team was currently in a relaxed and enjoyable phase from a writing, creation, and acting perspective, following the joint actors and writers strike which affected the show’s third season.

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2025-04-10 03:55