Quinta Brunson [1] plays a big-hearted, underfunded second grade teacher in the ABC hit sitcom "Abbott Elementary [2]," but she's also making a big difference in the lives of real teachers. In a recent interview with NPR's Fresh Air [3], Brunson shared that she reallocated some of "Abbott Elementary"'s marketing money to purchase school supplies to teachers instead. "It's about being able to make those kinds of decisions that really excite me, things that can really materially help people," she explains.
As the daughter of a Philly kindergarten teacher, Brunson shined more light on the inspiration behind "Abbott Elementary," which recently surpassed "Modern Family" in ABC's comedy ratings [4]. "Despite it getting harder, despite teachers not having all the support they need, despite kids growing even more unruly than they've been in recent time ... she still loved the job," Brunson said of her mom, Norma Jean Brunson. "The beauty is someone being so resilient for a job that is so underpaid and so underappreciated because it makes them feel fulfilled."
The "Abbott Elementary" creator and showrunner also shouted out a teacher who helped her adjust when she switched schools in sixth grade. "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," she said, confirming that the show is named after Mrs. Abbott. "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" airs on ABC on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.