Taraji P. Henson Joins ‘Abbott Elementary’ as Janine’s Mother

Lastly placing a face to the title. Taraji P. Henson is becoming a member of season 2 of Abbott Elementary within the function of Janine’s (Quinta Brunson) estranged mom.

“I used to be so exited to hitch Quinta and the wonderful forged!” Henson, 52, mentioned in a particular video message at PaleyFest in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 1.

The panel for the hit ABC collection additionally included forged members Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter and William Stanford Davis. Janelle James and Chris Perfetti appeared through webcam whereas Brunson, 33, and the Empire alum pre-recorded their messages.

Henson will seem in an episode titled “Mother,” which is ready to air on April 12. The thrilling casting information comes after Ayo Edebiri made her onscreen debut as Janine’s sister, Ayesha, final month. The Bear star, 27, beforehand made a cameo when followers noticed the sibling duo have an ungainly dialog over FaceTime.

Janine’s strained relationship together with her mom and sister has been a minor story line in previous episodes. Though the trainer was capable of work out her points with Ayesha, Brunson hinted that Janine would nonetheless should face her mother.

“I feel relationships with moms are very defining, particularly for somebody who’s then taking good care of kids — like Janine, who’s caring for youths,” the Golden Globe winner instructed Reuters in September 2022. “It connects loads to her relationships within the college. I do know numerous ladies in my life who’ve had very difficult relationships with their mothers sadly.”

In response to Brunson, it felt vital to indicate the aftermath of how the non-public trauma affected Janine. That very same month, the screenwriter teased what else followers of the critically acclaimed comedy collection might anticipate in season 2.

“We’ll be going house and out with them extra. Within the first season, I actually needed folks to fall in love with Abbott the college and the employees. We needed folks to really feel like they needed to work at or went to Abbott,” she shared with Leisure Weekly. “This season, they know us properly. They know the academics properly. They know the college properly. Now, we will exit to occasions and events, into our characters’ homes and be exterior extra. However I nonetheless consider a office comedy ought to happen within the office. So, it’s not like we’ll be was a complete different present.”

In the meantime, Ralph, 66, praised Abbott Elementary for arising with new methods to spotlight the characters exterior of the classroom. “You’re persevering with to be taught extra about these characters. Who they are surely [and] what their factors of views are,” the Dreamgirls star solely instructed Us Weekly in February. “I simply love that my character — though you haven’t seen my husband on this explicit season — we discuss him. I like the truth that that may be a loving relationship.”

Ralph recalled the second she realized Abbott Elementary was one thing particular.

“After we have been capturing the pilot, Tyler and I had a second the place we checked out one another and he actually mentioned, ‘You’re feeling it, don’t you?’ And I mentioned, ‘Completely, I really feel it. One thing is occurring right here. One thing is occurring,’” she added. “Going into the primary season — the primary 18 episodes — we weren’t shocked in any respect. We knew we have been doing one thing very particular.”

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With reporting by Kat Pettibone