Abbott Elementary: The Complete Evolution Of The Cast

"Abbott Elementary" is an ABC mockumentary series that has just entered its second season. It premiered in December 2021, and quickly became a must-watch. This year, the show was nominated for seven Emmys, and received three wins. The show revolves around elementary school teachers in a lower-income area of Philadelphia who struggle to get the resources they need for their students. Regardless of the obstacles in their way, the teachers tenaciously fight for their students, working together to make the school a more suitable place for learning.

The show stars Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, a new second grade teacher at Abbott Elementary who is an exceptionally positive, peppy, go-getting people pleaser. The cast of "Abbott Elementary" includes many actors who had a hand in shaping popular culture. Members of the cast can be recognized from old beloved television shows, movies, and Broadway musicals, or as stand-up comics who make us laugh so hard it hurts. 

All these stars have united on the set of "Abbot Elementary," creating a passionate cast that cares deeply about depicting the real strife of teachers by emphasizing the amazing work they do to create a maximized learning spaces for their students. The show's stars other include Janelle James, Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, and Chris Perfetti, along with some exquisite supporting actors such as Zack Fox, Reggie Hayes, Mitra Jouhari, William Stanford Davis, and Orlando Jones. Some might be more recognizable to you than others, so join us as we explore the transformation of the cast of "Abbott Elementary."

Janelle James plays the spunky, often self-centered principal of Abbott Elementary, Ava Coleman. James was primarily known for her stand-up comedy prior to the show's premiere. According to The New York Times," Abbott Elementary" is the comedian's first reoccurring role in a series. Janelle James's comedy has had a significant impact on the show's success as she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series. James was drawn to "Abbott Elementary" because of its script. She told the New York Times, "It was funny. I'm a comedian, so that appeals to me."

James told the New York Times that her stand-up career started about 15 years ago at an open mic in Memphis, where she fell in love with standup comedy. In 2016 she gained fame when she opened for comic Chris Rock (The Root). Since then, she released her comedy album "Black and Mild", appeared on Netflix's 2018 "The Comedy Lineup, wrote for ShowTimes 2019 television series "Black Monday", and appeared in Amy Schumer's show "Life & Beth," (IMDb). Much of James's standup revolves around her three sons. 

In an interview with The Root, James talked about her dream of growing her comedy career: "Every man who's making money has let me open for them. I'd like to be that man, at some point." With the popularity of James's character on "Abbott Elementary," that "some point" might be now.

Sheryl Lee Ralph plays Barbara Howard, a veteran kindergarten teacher whom Janine idolizes. This year saw her first Emmy nomination and win for the category of Outstanding Supporting Character In A Comedy Series. At the 74th Emmy Awards, Ralph was in a paralyzed state of shock when her name was called and her cast mates helped her to the stage. Once Ralph stepped onto the stage, it seemed she finally processed what was happening — at least enough to sing "Endangered Species" by Dianne Reeves. According to The Wrap, Sheryl Lee Ralph is only the second black woman to win an Emmy in this category. (Jackée Harry was the first.) Ralph told People, "I had no idea that people would see the subtleties in the work. It's very easy for people to miss the layers that you put in sometimes as an actor. And they saw it all" (via The AP). 

Ralph has credits in every type of media. She starred in the original Broadway production of "Dreamgirls" in 1981, a performance that earned her a Tony nomination. She's starred alongside stars like Denzel Washington in "Mighty Quinn," Robert de Niro in "Mistress," Danny Glover in "To Sleep with Anger," Eddie Murphy in "The Distinguished Gentleman," and Whoopi Goldberg in "Sister Act 2" — to name a few. Her television credits include "Moesha" and "Instant Moms." After decades in the industry, Ralph more than deserves her Emmy win.

Chris Perfetti plays Jacob Hill, an awkward, nerdy history teacher who is Janine's friend and peer. In an interview with W Magazine, Perfetti discussed his excitement upon reading the "Abbott Elementary" pilot, as it passed his litmus tests of both making him laugh out loud in a public space and painting Jacob as such a compelling character that Perfetti would be jealous if someone else took the part.

Before "Abbott Elementary," Perfetti was immersed in the world of theater, starring in multiple Off-Broadway productions. In 2012, Backstage interviewed Perfetti after his debut in the critically acclaimed Roundabout Theater Company production of "Son of the Prophet," which according to Stage Agent, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Perfetti landed the role right out of college playing Charlie, a character that Backstage described as "charmingly sarcastic." His alma mater SUNY Purchase recounts Perfetti's career on the stage; he played Bomber in the 2012 revival of "Picnic," Ariel in "The Tempest" in 2015, and in 2018 worked with the Public Theater in "The Low Road."

Outside of theater, Perfetti's credits include the web series "Submissions Only," NBC's unaired 2012 comedy "Next Caller" (The Hollywood Reporter), "Crossbones," and "Looking." "Abbot Elementary" is an important pivot in the actor's career as he is a full-time member of the award-winning cast on the critically acclaimed show.

Thus far, Zack Fox has only been a guest star on the show as Janine's boyfriend and aspiring rapper Tariq Temple. The role is fitting for Fox, an emerging rapper and comedian. He dropped his first single "Square up" in 2018 which went viral. However, it is unknown whether Fox will return as Tariq in Season 2 of "Abbott Elementary" now that (spoiler alert!) Tariq is Janine's ex-boyfriend. Our fingers are crossed that he will make an appearance so we can get more fun raps, like Tariq's anti-drug rap in the episode entitled "Work Family."

According to Complex, Fox's career started with comedic viral Tweets under the alias Bootymath. However, around the time he dropped his first single, he dropped the alias. Currently, he is in collaboration with Awful Records dropping his viral song "Jesus Is The One (I Got Depression)" in 2019 and then his album, "Shut The F*** Up Talking to Me." His music highlights his knack for comedy with sardonic lyrics that The Fader describes as "an ode to the promise of cartoonish, spontaneous physical fury." In his interview with Complex Network, Fox shared that he thinks of himself more as a musician than a comedian — but he certainly makes us laugh either way.

Mitra Jouhari guest-stars as Sarah, Janine's cool, artistic, and toxic college friend who takes a job as Abbott Elementary's art teacher. Sarah doesn't even last the whole episode before the teachers get fed up with her disregard for the students' needs. The character serves as a challenge for pushover Janine, who is forced to finally stand up for herself. While Mitra Jouhari's role in "Abbott Elementary" is small, it serves as an emotional arc for Janine — and for Jouhari, it's just one of her steps as a star on the rise.

Mitra Jouhari is a writer, comedian, and actress. She has written for a number of shows, including "Big Mouth," "High Maintenance," "Miracle Workers," and Comedy Central's  "The President Show," for which she won a GWA award. However, she's best known for creating and acting in Adult Swim's "Three Busy Debras," along with Sandy Honig and Alyssa Stonoha. According to Cincinnati Magazine, her career started with an internship on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart. We're betting "Abbott Elementary" won't be the last we'll see of this writer/actress/comedian.