Quinta Brunson, creator of “Abbott Elementary,” has received a major pay increase for her role in the show.
Premiered via ABC on Dec. 7, 2021, the Emmy-winning sitcom took inspiration from her sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Abbott, who was instrumental in helping her navigate a new school after attending the one where her mother taught for five years, according to NPR.
“I was scared to go into the real world or what I looked at as the real world at the time, and [Ms. Abbott] just took me under her wing,” Brunson, who plays Janine Teagues, told the outlet. “She was an incredible teacher who put her all into it, making sure that her students felt special and were ready for the world.”
“Abbott Elementary,” depicts the experience of attending a Philadelphia, PA, school in a predominantly Black area. Its humor has been the superpower of the mockumentary-style show, supported by Brunson — who also serves as executive producer and a co-writer — and her castmates, including Tyler James Williams (Gregory Eddie), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Barbara Howard), Janelle James (Ava Coleman), Lisa Ann Walter (Melissa Schemmenti), and Chris Perfetti (Jacob Hill).
For Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” was her last real shot to remain in California to pursue her dreams in entertainment. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Brunson left Philadelphia’s Temple University after her first year when her major’s communications department closed and she then ventured to Hollywood to pursue comedy. She describes the transition as a “rude awakening.”
Ultimately, opportunities would come Brunson’s way. What began as funny videos shared on Instagram spawned the series “The Girl Who’s Never Been on a Nice Date,” which opened doors for a role as a junior producer at Buzzfeed and gigs on television, such as “New Girl,” “iZombie,” “Miracle Workers.”
In 2019, she starred and wrote for HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” Despite this, Brunson knew she would need her big break to secure her place in entertainment.
“Really I mainly needed a job,” she told People. “I sold a pilot to CBS and I sold a pilot to HBO Max. Neither of those went, but ‘Abbott’ was the one that, if ‘Abbott’ didn’t get picked up, I was going to move back home.”
In 2023, the show was averaging 9.1 million viewers for each episode during its second season, The Hollywood Reporter mentioned. During that time it also received a 3.57 rating among people ages 18 to 49 over a 35-day period, which was the highest for any series on ABC, Deadline notes. Its latest season still maintained high interest, boasting 5.91 million viewers during its opener.
The show’s accolades include the 2022 SAG Award for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series, per REVOLT. Williams earned Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series during the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, Ralph made history at the 74th Emmy’s for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, while Brunson won for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series and later earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2023.
Moving ahead, the “Abbott Elementary” has received another victory. Deadline mentions following salary renegotiations with the networks, they have all received significant pay raises.
Brunson is expected to earn an acting salary in the $350,000-$400,000 range per episode, that will be applied beginning in the fourth season, which debuts Oct. 9.
The salary increases are reportedly in the triple digits, with some actors seeing their previous paychecks double or even triple, Deadline states.
