Taraji P. Henson Reveals Unique Connection She Shares With 'Abbott Elementary'
By Fiyin Olowokandi on April 9, 2023 at 1:00 AM EDT
Taraji P. Henson shares new details about her "Abbott Elementary" role!
The sensational actress has been stealing hearts with her phenomenal portrayals of powerful female characters. Following her award-winning performance on Fox's "Empire," the 52-year-old turned her sights on ABC's beloved sitcom.
"Abbott Elementary" follows the stories of a unique group of public school teachers in a Philadelphia institution. Besides being a fan of the series, the Washington native recently revealed a particular reason for appearing on the show.
Taraji P. Henson Says She Previously Worked In The Educational Sector
In a heart-to-heart discussion with Extra, the "What Men Want" star opened up about her return to the TV while promoting her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. The mental health wellness center creator confessed that she got her role through connections.
"I guess I'm in this place in my career where I have friends now, and I'll tell my friends, 'Hey, call me if you ever need me.' But that's what happened," the Golden Globe honoree explained.
Gushing about her love for the sitcom, the TV personality continued: "I love supporting, you know, And again, I'm such a fan, like, why wouldn't I? That's such a talented, amazingly talented cast. The writing is impeccable."
Although she adored the "Abbott Elementary" crew, the Oscar nominee was enthusiastic about guest-starring in the series because of her former profession. "I used to be a substitute teacher, so I have a really… deep love and respect for teachers and educators," the actress admitted.
Henson shall play Janine Teagues's mother, the sitcom's lead character, portrayed by the rising star Quinta Brunson. Discussing her role, the 52-year-old said: "I play Vernita, who is Janine's mom, and she's a mess."
The "I Can Do Bad All by Myself" star declared that she had a "great time" bringing her character to life and credited the crew for being amazing. "I hope they call me back," the Washington beauty concluded.
Per The Blast, the Black Reel Award winner's new role made her the latest addition to a string of guest stars on the beloved show. Before her on-screen personality appearance, the actress Ayo Edibiri played Ayesha, Janine's sister.
The "Acrimony" star shall appear in the show's season two, flaunting her renowned skills in the 21st episode titled "Mom." The plot will follow Henson's character crashing her daughter's plans for a solo trip on Memorial Day.
Vanetta's unexpected appearance in her daughter's life was a cry for help, a twist showrunners promised to leave fans begging for more. The highly-anticipated episode, set to air at 9 pm on April 12, marked the mockumentary's development of its beloved characters' background stories.
In the announcement post of Henson's character in "Abbott Elementary," showrunners shared a picture of the on-screen mother and daughter on Twitter. Underneath this image, fans and celebrities excitedly flooded the comments.
The list included Yvette Nicole Brown, who dropped the sweet message: "Yassssssss! Look like sisters, but YASSSSSSSS!!!" alongside three red heart emojis. Thomas Sanders could not find the words to express his joy as he tweeted, "Omgggggfdkxixusjdjxhcj."
On the other hand, some fans did not believe the news as it dropped on April Fools' Day. "I'm gonna believe it, but since it's April fool's day, I'm cautious," a worried individual wrote, while another echoed: "Nope. Announce it again in the morning so we know you're not trying to trick us for April Fools."
The Primetime Emmy Award-Winning Series Has Been Booked For A Third Season.
Early this year, "Abbott Elementary" fans received great news as their beloved sitcom was renewed for a third season. The announcement came at the heels of the mockumentary's victories at the Golden Globes ceremony.
The series dominated the renowned event with several nominations and won for its cast members. Tyler James Williams took home the Best Supporting Actor In A Musical, Comedy, or Drama award category award.
Quinta Brunson received the Golden Globe award for Best Actress In A TV Series, while the sitcom won the trophy for Best Comedy Series. Given the show's stellar accomplishments, it made sense that ABC showrunners booked "Abbott Elementary" for a third season.
Discussing the renewal, Justin Halpern noted that the comedy series deserved its accolades. "Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving, and I look forward to many more magnificent episodes of this brilliant, authentic, and just plain funny series," the CEO of Warner Brothers Television Group raved.
