Taraji P. Henson Joins 'Abbott Elementary' In Major Role, To Fans' Utmost Delight
By Fiyin Olowokandi on April 4, 2023 at 2:00 AM EDT
Taraji P. Henson is joining the cast of another hit TV show!
The actress needs no introduction after stealing our hearts with her Sassy portrayal of Cookie Lyon in the Fox drama series "Empire." Now, the 52-year-old is bringing her award-winning skills to the sitcom "Abbott Elementary."
The Mockumentary show follows a group of teachers in a Philadelphia public school, where they overcome various trials in educating children. To know more about the "Hidden Figures" star's role in this comedy series, keep reading to learn more!
Taraji P. Henson Becomes The Latest Celebrity To Guest Star On 'Abbott Elementary'
As shared by Variety, the mother of the series' lead female character Janine Teagues (played by Quinta Brunson), will be portrayed by Henson, and fans of "Abbott Elementary" will finally have the highly-anticipated face reveal
The Hollywood sensation's on-screen personality, Vanetta, shall join the Primetime Emmy award-winning series as a guest star in its second season. Her role was announced at the Paley Center for Media's annual PaleyFest LA event over the weekend.
"Abbott Elementary" stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Wiliams, and William Stanford Davis were in attendance. Janelle James and Chris Perfetti joined the event via Zoom, but the Washington native outshined their presence.
According to the news outlet, the Golden Globe Award winner's character shall appear in the episode titled "Mom." The plot follows Janine's plans for a solo trip on Memorial Day, derailed by her mother's unexpected presence. Vanetta appears in her daughter's life, begging for help, a twist that promises to leave fans gasping for air.
The "Abbott Elementary" episode is set to premiere at 9 pm on April 12 and marks the 21st episode in season two. As the show continues to dive into the background of its beloved characters, Henson joins the growing list of guest stars on the show. Before her appearance, Ayo Edibiri played Ayesha, Janine's sister.
Although these entertainers pulled off their roles effortlessly, the public's favorite seems to be Henson. Following the show's announcement of the Washington native's role on Twitter, fans flooded the comments excitedly.
The post captured Henson posing with Brunson, her on-screen daughter, at the series' elementary school set. The duo flashed bright smiles for the camera, flaunting their resemblance to confirm the news. Kick-starting the congratulations was the celebrated actress Yvette Nicole Brown. The "Community" star dropped three red heart emojis alongside the delightful expression: "Yassssssss! Look like sisters, but YASSSSSSSS!!!"
The news broke Thomas Sanders' dictionary as the internet personality could not find the words to express himself as he gushed, "Omgggggfdkxixusjdjxhcj." Hulu shared similar sentiments writing, "dreams do come true."
A fan showed off his pun-making skills with an ingenious to the BET honoree's casting, writing, "I'll be a Fool for Taraji …April or not." A doubtful fan tweeted, "I'm gonna believe it, but since it's April fool's day, I'm cautious," Another worried individual chimed, "Nope. Announce it again in the morning so we know you're not trying to trick us for April Fools."
The Beloved Sitcom Has Been Renewed For A Third Season
Early this year, The Blast reported that "Abbott Elementary" fans could rejoice as their favorite mockumentary had been scheduled for a third season. The fantastic news came after the series dominated the Golden Globes ceremony with several nominations and wins.
The show took home the award for Best Comedy Series, while its cast members received recognition for their work. Tyler James Williams also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor In A Musical, Comedy, or Drama award category.
The entertainer's victory came at the tails of Brunson's win at the 2022 Emmys. The sitcom's lead actress received the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, wowing the crowd by singing her acceptance speech in the style of jazz singer Dianne Reeves' 1993 song "Endangered Species.
The actress also added the Golden Globe award for Best Actress In A TV Series to her list of accomplishments. Given the show's success alongside its loveable cast members, it was no surprise that ABC chose to renew the sitcom for a third season.
Regarding the renewal, the CEO of Warner Brothers Television Group, Justin Halpern, gushed about the mockumentary's potential. According to the businessman, "Abbott Elementary" was a gift that kept on giving.
