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At THR's lounge at San Diego Comic-Con, the cast of 'Abbott Elementary' tease what fans can expect from the show's fifth season. Plus, Quinta Brunson describes why she think the show has been able to cut through all the noise and find success.
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00:00I'll leave it. Cheryl, hi. Cheryl is an amazing, thank you, this, I'm going to tell you this whole
00:08cast, this entire cast, incredible hype people, seriously, you come into a room, you're not
00:15feeling great about yourself, by the end of 20 minutes of, of people going, what's up? And then
00:23the, no, this and that, and the other thing about your life, you feel really good about yourself.
00:28So I just, if you need to get hyped, come around any of these people, and they make you feel
00:34great. Oh, that was good. That's very true.
00:43Hi, this is the cast of Abbott Elementary, and we are all here with the Hollywood Reporter.
00:50At Comic-Con. Yeah. We always see you at award shows, you are always, you know, so busy during
00:56awards season. So you're no strangers to talking to press about this show, but what's it like being
01:01here at Comic-Con with the fans and getting to talk to them about the show and see their reactions?
01:05It's unreal. We love the press. We love the awards, but we love more than anything being on the ground
01:11with fans. It's why we make the show, why we do what we do, especially as like a weekly network
01:16show, coming into your home once a week. Those are the exact people that I, and I think the rest
01:21of the cast are aiming to, you know, please, aiming to make happy. And it's an honor to be at Comic-Con
01:26where people are cultish about what they love and seeing that with Abbott. Positive.
01:32We like a good cult. Once again, positively.
01:37We have three and four-hour lines waiting to get into our activation.
01:40Yeah.
01:40We actually get the best kind of love from our fans because it's a sort of love and respect.
01:47They love the fact that we're shining light on education. So many people have people in their
01:53family that are educators and all, and they always want to say something wonderful to us about what
02:00it is we're doing in the show, which is just great.
02:02I'm sure over the years you've seen people dress up as your characters for Halloween on social media.
02:06Have you seen any Abbott cosplay at Comic-Con?
02:09Yes, we just saw. Absolutely. It took me out during the panel. Someone dressed as Gregory, as Mr. DNA.
02:18So Gregory from Abbott dresses Mr. DNA from Jurassic Park, and that's the kind of deep cut that really,
02:25whoo!
02:25It was good, too. It was really good.
02:27Yeah.
02:27I see people dressing their kids as Mr. Johnson.
02:30The great is a great.
02:31You know, from the infants to, you know, the young kids in grade school, and it's, it just
02:39swarms my heart.
02:40I saw Sweet Cheeks, I told you.
02:44Unless it was like a furry, I'm going to choose to believe that it was somebody dressing up
02:49as Sweet Cheeks.
02:50I see people that I think are dressed like Melissa Cemente all the time, but it turns out
02:55it's just from Jersey.
02:56I saw a Heli from Severance. I thought it was Melissa, but it was a Heli from Severance,
03:03but it wasn't far off from what Melissa would wear. It was just the red hair. It threw me
03:07off.
03:07Yes.
03:07That's some goals I want to be on that show as her relative.
03:11And I take credit for every phone necklace I see. Thank you very much.
03:15But I do. But I do.
03:17Okay.
03:19You're right, Cheryl.
03:21It's a train.
03:21Yeah.
03:23I love it. He said, just give it to her.
03:26And of course, there's a new season coming this fall. What can you tease about what we'll
03:30see in the new season?
03:31I mean, yes.
03:33Janelle just looks at me like nothing with Quinta right here.
03:36You know, because I'm not in Quinta's eyeline, I feel like I could start. There's a lot.
03:41I'm so excited. We've, you know, we've read six episodes. We're gearing up. We're going
03:46to leave the school early in the season, which is exciting. We've got new characters. I feel
03:52like I won't say anything more than that. But Quinta and our writers have always been
03:57great about kind of keeping people guessing. And just when you think you know where the
04:01show is or what's going to happen, we switch it up. So we're definitely doing that at the
04:05beginning of the fifth season.
04:06Love?
04:07You've been manifesting this Halle Berry storyline with you and your character for some time.
04:11When's that going to happen?
04:12I just beat this.
04:14I got a new one. They say that she'd be Helen Mirren.
04:17By they, you mean you.
04:18You.
04:19Oh.
04:20It's always.
04:21They say.
04:22They say.
04:24Everybody's talking.
04:25Why can't I have Helen Mirren?
04:27No, you cannot. I'm your friend.
04:29I know there's people on the internet that would love that.
04:32Oh, I get it now.
04:34In the season four finale, you know, we saw Janine realize that her playful attitude and
04:39her nurturing spirit is really her superpower.
04:42For each of you, in real life, what do you feel like is your superpower?
04:47I can turn any situation into a joke.
04:50Yes.
04:50Yes, you can.
04:51Yes.
04:51A good joke.
04:53A good joke.
04:53Yes. Thank you, Chris.
04:54I know how to keep my mouth shut when my wife is talking.
04:57That's my superpower.
04:58Oh, Cheryl is smiling.
05:01I would also say Cheryl is just put her in front of a hot mic.
05:05Yeah, true.
05:06She's in front of a hot mic. You got it.
05:09I love a mic.
05:12Cheryl. Hi. Cheryl is an amazing. Thank you.
05:16This, I'm going to tell you this whole cast, this entire cast, incredible hype people.
05:24Seriously, you come into a room, you're not feeling great about yourself.
05:28By the end of 20 minutes of people going, what's up?
05:33And then the, no, this and that and the other thing about your life, you feel really good
05:38about yourself. So I just, if you need to get hyped, come around any of these people
05:44and they make you feel great.
05:46Oh, that was good.
05:46That's very true.
05:47Lisa's smart. And I know we're all smart, but she's like, she'd be winning Jeopardy.
05:51Yeah.
05:52A million dollars win on Jeopardy.
05:56Tyler's is deep-voicedness.
05:59Oh.
06:00Like, I feel like you could put some signing up words.
06:04I like deep-voicedness.
06:07I could see it.
06:08Yeah.
06:09I love all the positive answers. And you feel that, you know, camaraderie and positivity when
06:12you watch the show. In your own words, why do you feel like the show is really cut through
06:16in 2025 when it feels like it's really hard to cut through in this TV landscape?
06:21Well, a couple of reasons. We have, we've been here for a while and I think we come with
06:25a really loyal audience. And thanks to the absolutely ridiculous TV landscape, we're able
06:31to gain new audience when it appears on Hulu and HBO Max and Fubo or wherever else it is.
06:37And I think that's really great. And then besides that, we focus on,
06:42continuing to make the show funny while it's current, it's also still acting as escapism
06:49for most people watching it. And we have great characters and a great writer's room. And I
06:57think that alone can help keep you, keep you pushing.
07:01I don't like everybody skipping my baby. Chris's superpower is physical comedy.
07:05Yeah. I was going to get back to Chris.
07:06The physical embodiment of a joke.
07:08Thank you, Janelle.
07:09I was going to get back to Chris.
07:10Nobody did me. Short.
07:12No.
07:14Being a boss.
07:15Exactly.
07:16Being a boss.
07:16And a great boss.
07:17Like a Superman.
07:17Jack of all trades.
07:18Oh, wow.
07:19Yes.
07:20She sees everything.
07:21Well-rounded in this, this is.
07:25I, I.
07:26Don't, don't get keep. She sees everything. And I've been noticing since.
07:31That goes with the shorts. You can speak up.
07:32That's true. But she's, she sees it from a different level.
07:36She sees it from a different angle.
07:37But you both see it from a different level.
07:39You just put the shoes on.
07:40That's why I don't fish.
07:41Because she has a unique perspective on the world.
07:44I will, I will, I will channel Janelle James at Essence Fest two years ago when I had flats
07:50on. She said, your whole body has been a lie because I wear these shoes.
07:56Secret munchkin.
07:57They're among us.
07:58They're among us.
07:59I'm telling you. But you want to know something? Honestly, nobody here takes for granted for
08:03the fact that we are a 22 episode show on national TV, national network TV. Nobody here takes that
08:16for granted because when you look at awards and all of that, we're the only ones up there
08:22from the networks. Everybody else is from streaming. So we know we have.
08:29That we are a good thing. Thank you. And we know we are very special at what we all are able to
08:36achieve together. And it's very important not to forget that. Because network television is a nice
08:42place to be, baby.
08:43It sure is. No, now I have more mics again.
08:45Oh, so sorry.
08:46Streaming where, by the way, you can curse or have nudity or not be funny.
08:51You should be cursing.
08:52Or, you know, certain things that we don't, we are consistently funny every week.
08:58And we are a show, I think, and we hear it from audience all the time, that people feel good when
09:04they watch. They feel good watching it with multi-generations in their family. It comforts them.
09:09People, they watch the seasons over and over. They watch it to go to sleep. We are living in a time
09:16that needs humor and love. And I think we are that.
09:19It's the truth. I literally traveled one side of the world during our break and then went back around
09:26the other side of the world. And this really happened. I was on a little canoe in Ghana going
09:35down a river. And we pulled into a rest stop, which was really just coconut trees and mango trees.
09:41And the guy got off and he would pick them. These kids come out of the palm trees and they were
09:49like, are you Mrs. Abbott? And I was like, what? I said, are you Abbott? They say, you're on TV.
09:58And I was like, what the hell? What kind of signal are they getting in the palm trees?
10:05But I'm, no, I'm serious. I was like freaked out by that because that, who would expect that?
10:13I'm pulled up on a tiny little island in Africa. Are you Mrs. Abbott? What the hell?
10:21They love this show all around the world. Then you've got, honest to God, you've got people
10:27of all different cultures and all of that who come around and, you know, they have on their garb,
10:33you know, on the other side of the world. And they come out and they want you to know
10:37how much they appreciate this American TV because their whole family can watch it.
10:44And I'm like, I'm getting to see the impact this show is really having around the world.
10:51Everywhere. I get letters from everywhere.
10:52From fans. I'm sitting at the table and someone came up to me and said, this birthday cake is for
10:58you. I'm like, it's not my birthday. It's from someone who loves your show. And they sent the
11:02cake over. And it was really moving. But everywhere I go, it's like Cheryl said, I've been in a lot
11:07of places. And they come up and ask us about the show. Ask me about the show.
11:11Yes.
11:11So many principles.
11:14I always have to remind them that I don't know anything about that profession.
11:18Me nor my character. But always great to meet them.
11:22But do they now have a different attitude about Ava because they've watched her season
11:26to season actually get things done?
11:28So many principles that say they're exactly like Ava. And then I remind them that's probably
11:32not a good thing to say.
11:36Janelle, Ava went through so much evolution last season and season four. How will she continue
11:40to evolve in season five?
11:42I'm sure her new love will continue to pull her cards and have her reveal things about
11:50herself. I hope that her and Janine continue to get closer in their like sisterly relationship.
11:58I really enjoyed that. I'm waiting for the day that Janine like finally claps back like
12:02fully at Ava. And I think that she won't be upset. She will respect that. She'll be like,
12:08finally, I can't. I hope that's coming. And I and I think that that'll be great. And then
12:15the evolution of her relationship with the rest of the cast. So we saw last season that
12:20Barbara finally likes her. You know, Barbara always. No, no, no, you didn't. In the first
12:26episode, the pilot went to one too keen on Ava. And just like everyone else. God bless you.
12:32Hallelujah. And so, yeah, the evolution of like Ava just, you know, proving herself and
12:37liking her job more, being more into her job, being more open about herself as a real person.
12:45And maybe like myself, not turning everything into a joke. So, yeah, that's a that would be a
12:51good. I look forward to her accreditation, her accreditation, her accreditation, her accreditation.
12:58I don't need that. Before you all have to go, I want to have you do one fun question from our
13:05crypto popcorn bucket. Yay, crypto. Quinta, you pull it and everybody can answer. Yeah, let's just do
13:10one. What is the best comic book movie? This is hard for me because I very much like Guardians and I
13:18very much like the final, the last two Avengers movies. But I saw Logan last night for the first
13:25time. Oh, that's a great answer. I can't believe I didn't see it. And oh my God, was it good. And
13:32then I followed it up because I needed Deadpool and Wolverine after I saw Logan. I'm like, please let
13:37everybody be alive and funny. Yeah. But I watched both back to back. I'm so glad you said that because I
13:42shook about what my answer was going to be. And yeah, I agree. Logan, Tyler. Yeah. It's going to be
13:47super controversial. Yeah. Spider-Man 2. Oh my God. Which star? 2. Yes. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Oh no, Toby,
13:59Toby, Toby, Toby. You've got to remember that for some of us, we've had many. I know, I know, I know. I
14:06don't feel less controversial. I mean, people know the deal if they're honest with themselves. They know
14:10it's Toby. It's Toby. It's supposed to be real. It's the way that Wolverine is Hugh. We will see
14:15other versions of this, but we know who this is. It's the two of it all then. It's the two. It's
14:20two. I loved one, but two, it felt like they really, I know, it felt like a movie. Like
14:24things don't always feel like a movie anymore, but like an actual like a film. Can we get back
14:27to Hugh? No, we don't need to talk about it. No. I'm going to, mine is, mine is tough.
14:34Mine is tough. This is tough, but I'm going to have to say, oh my God, I can't believe
14:39this because I want to say the dark night. Okay. I want people to know that's what I
14:44want to say, but I have to say, and mine is controversial. I think, I know, I'm just
14:50saying, I think Avengers Age of Ultron set up a world that we would not have here presently
14:56if it wasn't for that movie. And a lot of people say that's a horrible movie. I don't
15:01think, I think it had a lot to do and I think it did it all, but we would not have gotten
15:05Wanda Maximoff. That's quintabrunson.gmail.com. Please don't crucify me. I think that movie
15:11was amazing for what it did for the world. I am going to say that I will always be
15:17Wakanda forever. Yes. Black Panther. Oh my goodness. What it did for the culture,
15:23the way it opened up people's eyes, the way they were thinking, wait, was that really a
15:29comic book? Hell yeah, it was. It was a good one too. Woo. Wakanda forever. And I know the
15:35second one is going to be real good. Yeah. The third. The third. Sorry. That's exactly
15:40right. The second one was good. Good prediction. Yeah. That's a tough one for me because I
15:48saw the original Superman when they used to have people holding his cape up and stuff,
15:52making it look like he was fine. What? Yeah. Before the special effects. Like y'all wasn't
15:58there. I missed that. I missed that. I saw the television show. That's what I'm talking
16:06about. Oh, okay. There you go. I have to go with Wakanda forever as my favorite, but I saw
16:11them from the get go, you know, so it's hard to really judge on the other ones, you know,
16:15and I didn't see all this. I need to change my answer to just. You cannot change your answer.
16:20Just the Avengers. Just the Avengers. Cut the tape. Just the Avengers. Okay. I don't know.
16:25Did you pick one? I picked Logan, but I feel like it was a safe choice. I mean, other people
16:30have said things I also agree with three way. I love the Avengers as well. And Wakanda, of course,
16:37you know? Yeah. Well, yeah. Logan was an adult, an adult movie. Chris? This is an impossible
16:44question, you know, and I refuse to answer it. Looking forward to a good answer. Okay.
16:50Please make sure on record that I said the Avengers, but you don't have to delete everything
16:56else I said. I just, this is really important to me. You changed your answer. I did. I have
17:01a friend in Fantastic Four. I should have said that. Michael Chiklis is the thing. I should
17:05have said that. Yeah, but you didn't. Did you see it? You didn't. In the theaters. Yeah,
17:10but you didn't. I obviously didn't enjoy it. Do you want to wrap it up?
17:14You want to do it? Yeah. That's okay. That's not going to stop. Thank you guys so much.
17:19You're welcome. Thank you.
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