Quinta Brunson Wins Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for ‘Abbott Elementary’
Marcus Jones
Quinta Brunson has won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in “Abbott Elementary” Season 2, making her the second Black woman in history to receive the honor over 42 years after “The Jeffersons” star Isabel Sanford became the first.
As discouraging a time gap between wins as that is, Brunson’s beloved ABC sitcom about teachers at an underfunded school in Philadelphia has seemingly moved the needle forward for more Black talent to win in the comedy series categories. At the 2022 Primetime Emmys, Brunson earned her first Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, following “Master of None” writer-star Lena Waithe as the second Black woman to win the category. That same night her “Abbott Elementary” co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph became the second Black woman to win Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, 35 years after Jackeé Henry won for her work in “227.”
Coming off more Emmy wins this year, “Abbott Elementary” will premiere its third season on Wednesday, February 7 with an hour-long episode. It has also been announced that the ABC series, which halted production last fall due to the WGA and SAG strikes, has the coveted timeslot following the 96th Oscars on Sunday, March 10.
Premiering at the end of 2021, and becoming the biggest comedy debut of the season, “Abbott Elementary” became credited for drawing a younger audience back to broadcast television. A zany mockumentary in the style of “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation,” Brunson credited the success of her show to its relatability. “I prefer to have a grounded, human approach with my characters,” said the creator-star to IndieWire after the first season had finished airing. “We wanted to make it feel like people who have everyday jobs can relate to these characters. You may not work at a school… but you can identify those relationships between coworkers anywhere because they’re rooted in the humanity of what makes us tick, how we annoy each other, and how we uplift each other.”
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards were held Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. The ceremony, which usually takes place in September, was delayed to accommodate the WGA and SAG strikes. That’s why the nominees do not include any shows released after the May 31, 2023 filing deadline, including “The Curse,” “Fargo,” and other fall and winter premieres. The 76th Emmy Awards telecast is expected to run on the traditional schedule.
