- 11 hours ago
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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00:00Cheryl, hi. Cheryl is an amazing, thank you. I'm going to tell you this whole cast, this
00:09entire cast, incredible hype people. Seriously, you come into a room, you're not feeling great
00:16about yourself. By the end of 20 minutes of people going, what's up? And then the, no,
00:24this 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 great.
00:34Oh, 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 show
01:16coming into your home once a week. Those are the exact people that I and I think the rest of the
01:21cast are aiming to, you know, please aiming to make happy. And it's an honor to be at
01:25Comic-Con where 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.
01:39Yeah. We 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. I'm sure over the years you've seen people dress up as
02:04your characters for Halloween on social media. Have you seen any Abbott cosplay at Comic-Con?
02:09Yes. We just saw. Absolutely. 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,
02:25woo! It was good too. It was really good. Yeah.
02:27I see people dressing their kids as Mr. Johnson.
02:30The hot ways.
02:31Yes.
02:32You know, from the infants to, you know, the young kids in grade school.
02:37Yeah. And it's, it just swallows my heart.
02:41I saw Sweet Cheeks, I told you. I mean, unless it was like a furry, I'm going to choose to believe
02:47that it was somebody dressing up as Sweet Cheeks. It was definitely a hamster.
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 off.
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.
03:17You're right, Cheryl.
03:20Actually, yeah.
03:21It's a training day.
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.
03:33Chanel 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.
03:45But we're going to leave the school early in the season, which is exciting.
03:50We've got new characters. I feel like I won't say anything more than that.
03:54But Quinta and our writers have always been great about kind of keeping people guessing.
03:59And just when you think you know where the show is or what's going to happen, we switch
04:03it up. So we're definitely doing that at the beginning of the fifth season.
04:06Love, you've been manifesting this Halle Berry storyline with you and your character for
04:10some time.
04:11When's that going to happen?
04:12I just beat this.
04:13I got a new one. They say that she'd be Helen Mirren.
04:17By they, you mean you.
04:18You.
04:19It'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.
04:33Oh, 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 for each of you in real life. What do you feel
04:45like is your superpower?
04:47I can turn any situation into a joke.
04:49Yes.
04:50Yes, you can.
04:51Yes.
04:51A good joke.
04:53A good joke.
04:53Yes. Thank you, Chris.
04:55I know how to keep my mouth shut when my wife is talking.
04:57That's my superpower.
04:58Oh, Cheryl is smiling.
05:00I 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.
05:17This.
05:18I'm going to tell you this whole cat, 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 about yourself.
05:39So I just, if you need to get hyped, come around any of these people and 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.
05:51Yes. A million dollars win on Jeopardy.
05:55That's very smart. Tyler's is deep-voicedness.
06:00Like, I feel like you could put a sign making up words.
06:04I like deep-voicedness.
06:07I could see it.
06:08Yeah.
06:09I love all the positive answers.
06:10And you feel that, you know, camaraderie and positivity when you watch the show.
06:13So in your own words, why do you feel like the show is really cut through in 2025 when it feels like it's really hard to cut through in this TV landscape?
06:21Well, a couple reasons.
06:21We have, we've been here for a while and I think we come with a really loyal audience.
06:26And thanks to the absolutely ridiculous TV landscape, we're able to 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.
06:39And then besides that, we focus on continuing to make the show funny.
06:44And while it's current, it's also still acting as escapism for most people watching it.
06:52And we have great characters and a great writer's room.
06:57And I think that alone can help keep you, keep you pushing.
07:01I don't like everybody skipping my baby.
07:02Chris's superpower is physical comedy.
07:05Yeah.
07:05I 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.
07:12Short.
07:12Being a boss.
07:15Exactly.
07:16And a great boss.
07:17Jack of all trades.
07:19Yes.
07:21Well-rounded in this, this is.
07:26Don't get keep.
07:27She sees everything.
07:29And I've been noticing since.
07:31That goes with the shorts.
07:32You can speak up.
07:32That's true.
07:34But she sees it from a different level.
07:36She sees it from a different angle.
07:37You both see it from a different level.
07:39You just put the shoes on.
07:40That's why I don't feel a big shoe.
07:41She has a unique perspective on the world.
07:45I will channel Janelle James at Essence Fest two years ago when I had flats on.
07:51She 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.
07:59But you want to know something, honestly?
08:01Nobody here takes for granted the fact that we are a 22-episode show on national TV, national network TV.
08:15Nobody here takes that for granted because when you look at awards and all of that, we're the only ones up there from the networks.
08:24Everybody else is from streaming.
08:26So we know we have a good thing.
08:31And we know we are very special at what we all are able to achieve together.
08:38And it's very important not to forget that because network television is a nice place to be, baby.
08:43It sure is.
08:44No, now I have more mics again.
08:45Oh, so sorry.
08:45Screaming where, by the way, you can curse or have nudity or not be funny or, you know, certain things that we don't ā 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 they watch.
09:05That's right.
09:05They feel good watching it with multi-generations in their family.
09:08It comforts them.
09:09People ā they watch the seasons over and over.
09:13They watch it to go to sleep.
09:14We are living in a time that needs humor and love, and I think we are that.
09:19It's the truth.
09:20I literally traveled one side of the world during our break and then went back around the other side of the world.
09:27And this is ā this really happened.
09:30I was on a little canoe in Ghana going down a river.
09:36And 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.
09:44These kids come out of the palm trees and they were like, are you Mrs. Abbott?
09:52And I was like, what?
09:54I said, are you ā Abbott?
09:57They say, you're on TV.
09:59And I was like, what the hell?
10:00Oh, what kind of signal are they getting in the palm trees?
10:04Oh, no, they have TV.
10:05But I'm ā no, I'm serious.
10:08I was like freaked out by that because that ā who would expect that?
10:13I'm pulled up on a tiny little island in Africa.
10:18Are you Mrs. Abbott?
10:19What the hell?
10:20They love this show all around the world.
10:25Then you've got ā honest to God, you've got people of all different cultures and all of that who come around and, you know, they have on their garb, you know, on the other side of the world.
10:35And they come out and they want you to know how 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.
10:52I hear letters from everybody.
10:52Birthday cake from fans.
10:54I'm sitting at the table and someone came up to me and said, this birthday cake is for you.
10:58I'm like, it's not my birthday.
10:59It's from someone who loves your show.
11:01And they sent the cake over.
11:03Yes.
11:03And it was really moving.
11:05But everywhere I go, it's like Cheryl said, I've been in a lot of places.
11:08They come up and ask us about the show.
11:10Ask me about the show.
11:10Yes.
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.
11:21But always great to meet them.
11:22But do they now have a different attitude about Ava because they've watched her season to season actually get things done?
11:28So many principles that say they're exactly like Ava.
11:31And then I remind them that's probably not a good thing to say.
11:36Janelle, Ava went through so much evolution last season in season four.
11:40How will she continue to evolve in season five?
11:42I'm sure her new love will continue to pull her cards and have her reveal things about herself.
11:52I hope that her and Janine continue to get closer in their sisterly relationship.
11:58I really enjoyed that.
11:59I'm waiting for the day that Janine finally claps back fully at Ava.
12:04And I think that she won't be upset.
12:07She will respect that.
12:08She'll be like, finally, I can't.
12:09I hope that's coming.
12:11And I think that'll be great.
12:14And then the evolution of her relationship with the rest of the cast.
12:18So we saw last season that Barbara finally likes her.
12:22You know?
12:23Barbara always likes her.
12:25No, no, no.
12:25You didn't.
12:26In the first episode, the pilot went too keen on Ava.
12:29And just like everyone else, she came around.
12:31God bless you.
12:32God bless you.
12:32Hallelujah.
12:33And so, yeah, the evolution of like Ava just, you know, proving herself and liking her job more,
12:39being more into her job, being more open about herself as a real person.
12:45And maybe, like myself, not turning everything into a joke.
12:49So, yeah, that would be a good evolution.
12:51I look forward to her accreditation.
12:54I'm sorry?
12:54Her accreditation.
12:56Accreditation?
12:57Her accreditation.
12:58You don't need that.
12:59Ah!
12:59Get on it!
13:02Before you all have to go, I'm going to have you do one fun question from our crypto popcorn bucket.
13:06Yay, crypto!
13:08Quinta, you pull it and everybody can answer.
13:10Yeah, let's just do one.
13:11Dig down deep.
13:12What is the best comic book movie?
13:15This is hard for me because I very much like Guardians.
13:18And I very much like the final, the last two Avengers movies.
13:23But I saw Logan last night for the first time.
13:25Oh, that's a great answer.
13:27I can't believe I didn't see it.
13:29And oh, my God, was it good.
13:31And then I followed it up because I needed Deadpool and Wolverine after I saw Logan.
13:37I'm like, please let everybody be alive and funny.
13:39But I watched both back to back.
13:41I'm so glad you said that because I was shook about what my answer was going to be.
13:43And yeah, I agree.
13:44Logan.
13:45Tyler.
13:45Yeah.
13:46It's going to be super controversial.
13:49Oh, boy.
13:50Yeah.
13:50Spider-Man 2.
13:51Oh, my God.
13:54Which star?
13:552.
13:56Without God?
13:57Yes.
13:57Wow.
13:58Yeah.
13:58Yeah.
13:59Oh, no.
13:59Toby.
13:59Toby.
14:00Toby.
14:00Toby.
14:01Because you've got to remember that for some of us, we've had many...
14:04I know.
14:05I know.
14:05I know.
14:06I don't feel less controversial.
14:07I mean, people know the deal.
14:09If they're honest with themselves, they know it's Toby.
14:10It's Toby.
14:11It's to be real.
14:12This is the same way that, like, Wolverine is Hugh.
14:14We will see other versions of this, but we know who this is.
14:17It's the two of it all, then.
14:19It's the two.
14:20It's two.
14:20I loved one, but two, it felt like they really...
14:23I don't know.
14:23It felt like a movie.
14:24Like, things don't always feel like a movie anymore.
14:26But, like, an actual, like, a film.
14:28No.
14:29We don't need to talk about it.
14:30No.
14:31I'm going to...
14:32Mine is...
14:32Go ahead.
14:33Mine is tough.
14:34Mine is tough.
14:35This is tough.
14:37But I'm going to have to say, oh, my God.
14:39I can't believe this.
14:40Because I want to say The Dark Knight.
14:41Okay?
14:42I want people to know that's what I want to say.
14:44But I have to say, and mine is controversial, I think...
14:48You've said that.
14:49I know.
14:50I'm just saying.
14:50I think Avengers Age of Ultron set up a world that we would not have here presently if it
14:57wasn't for that movie.
14:58And a lot of people say that's a horrible movie.
15:01I don't think...
15:02I think it had a lot to do, and I think it did it all.
15:04But we would not have gotten Wanda Maximoff.
15:05That's quintabronson.gmail.com.
15:09Please don't crucify me.
15:10Please direct your...
15:11I think that movie was amazing.
15:12For what it did.
15:13For the world.
15:13I am going to say that I will always be...
15:17Wakanda forever.
15:19Yes.
15:20Black Panther.
15:21Oh, my goodness.
15:22What it did for the culture.
15:24The way it opened up people's eyes.
15:26The way they were thinking, wait, was that really a comic book?
15:30Hell, yeah, it was.
15:31It was a good one, too.
15:33Woo!
15:33Wakanda forever.
15:34And I know the second one is going to be real good.
15:37Yeah.
15:37The third.
15:38The third.
15:39Sorry.
15:39That's exactly right.
15:40The second one was.
15:41It was.
15:42The second was good.
15:42Good prediction.
15:43Yeah.
15:46That's a tough one for me, because I saw the original Superman when they used to have
15:51people holding his cape up and stuff, making it look like he was flying.
15:54What?
15:55Yeah.
15:56Before the special effects.
15:57Like y'all wasn't there.
15:59I was not there.
16:00I missed that.
16:02I missed that.
16:03That's the first one I ever saw.
16:04I saw the television show.
16:05That's what I'm talking about.
16:06Oh, okay.
16:07There you go.
16:08I have to go with Wakanda forever as my favorite.
16:10But I saw him from the get-go, you know, so it's hard to really judge on the other ones.
16:15You know?
16:15And I didn't see all this.
16:16I need to change my answer to just.
16:18You cannot change your answer.
16:20To just the Avengers.
16:21Just the Avengers.
16:22Cut the tape.
16:23Just the Avengers.
16:23Okay.
16:24I don't know.
16:25Did you pick one?
16:26I picked Logan, but I feel like it was a safe choice.
16:28I mean, other people have said things I also agree with.
16:32Three-way.
16:32I love the Avengers as well.
16:34Yeah.
16:35Wakanda, of course.
16:37You know?
16:38Yeah.
16:39But, yeah, Logan was an adult.
16:41An adult movie.
16:42Chris?
16:43Yeah.
16:43This is an impossible question.
16:46You know?
16:46And I refuse to answer it.
16:48Looking forward to a good answer.
16:49Okay, please make sure on record that I said the Avengers.
16:55But you don't have to delete everything else I said.
16:57I just, this is really important to me.
16:59You changed your answer.
17:00I did.
17:00Do you know?
17:01I have a friend in Fantastic Four.
17:02I should have said that.
17:03Michael Chiklis is the thing.
17:05I should have said that.
17:06Yeah, but you didn't.
17:06Did you see it?
17:08You didn't.
17:08In the theaters.
17:10Yeah, but you didn't.
17:12I obviously didn't enjoy it.
17:13Do you want to wrap it up?
17:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:16That's so good.
17:17That's not going to stop.
17:18Thank you guys so much.
17:20You're welcome.
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