Emerging Hollywood: Quinta Brunson
Charlamagne Tha God sits down with Abbott Elementary star Quinta Brunson sat for the latest episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Emerging Hollywood to discuss what it was like being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness in Philadelphia, how a breakup helped fuel her drive for a career in comedy, the praise she’s received for the ABC series, and how her former teacher inspired her.
“That was the way to connect to them. I was also so far away from them. My closest sibling is eight years older than me, and my other siblings it’s, you know, ten years, fifteen years, and 20 years old. As a kid, I couldn’t really relate to them, but making them laugh was how I got to, you know, hang out with them and our whole family.”
Charlamagne begins the interview by asking Quinta what growing up in West Philadelphia was like. Quinta loved West Philadelphia. She was the youngest of five siblings who had strict but loving parents. Quinta notes that the one thing the whole family agrees on is comedy. She even brings up the times she constantly did an impression of the character Wanda from In Living Color to make her family laugh. When Charlamagne asks about her being raised as a Jehovah’s witness, Quinta remarks it was why she had such strict parentage. However, she does attribute the religious background to allowing the family to stay out of trouble through faith and structure.
Quinta mentions a break-up she had in college. It was a nasty affair that led to her dropping out of college due to depression. Unfortunately, therapy wasn’t a discussion to be held with the family, so she struggled on her own to address her depression. Thanks to assistance from her friends and a year’s worth of self-affirmations, Quinta recovered and made plans to go to Los Angeles for a new life. Her experience from the break-up has led to frequent self-analysis to maintain her mental health. Quinta even managed to mend the friendship with her ex-boyfriend.
“Your teachers are, to me, ultimately responsible for your ability to read, write, articulate, present yourself. They turn you into a human, so I was really fortunate enough to have really good teachers that I loved.”
When asked about the person who influenced her career the most, Quinta immediately answered that it was both her mother and sixth-grade teacher Ms. Abbott. It was Quinta’s teachers who inspired Abbott Elementary. From the beginning, Quinta felt good about creating the show, but after finishing, she believed it would be ignored for a while. She is surprised by the immediate success of Abbott Elementary and is appreciative of the ABC network for giving her show this opportunity.
Quinta believes a good show begins with a grounded topic. Funny comes after a story forms. Despite the show bringing to light issues schools face like funding, Quinta wasn’t setting out to make a change. She wanted to portray the comedic reality of real life at school. While appreciative of the change the show created, Quinta doesn’t wish to tackle issues through comedy. Quinta’s highlight of the show’s success is when her mother expressed pride in her daughter. This came as a big deal to Quinta because of her mother’s religious background. Her mother was initially skeptical of Quinta going into the entertainment industry.
“Just staying tapped in with the city and my family, I think, really keeps my feet on the ground.”
Charlamagne questions Quinta’s role as the executive producer of Abbott Elementary and if it weighs on her mentally. Quinta replies that she doesn’t feel such pressure, but she is in the mindset that she needs to represent an entire group of people. She does this by working on keeping the show going and making efforts towards making sure everyone still has a job the following year on the show. As far as experiencing emotional pressure, she claims that there is none to be placed upon her due to her trust in the team and confidence in delegating roles.
To stay grounded, Quinta reveals that she does so through hobbies such as playing video games and bowling, staying in contact with her family, and staying connected with Philadelphia. Quinta remains connected to her hometown of Philadelphia through participating in a youth organization called “Yeah Philly” and has been a part of the group since 2019. Quinta states that “Yeah Philly” is an anti-gun violence initiative run solely by the people of Philadelphia. She also participates in other groups and activities found in Philadelphia.
The interview closes with Charlamagne asking Quinta if she feels successful. Quinta believes that, in small ways, she does. She was used to being broke for most of her life. Now, she can buy things she normally couldn’t, and this gives a feeling of success to her. Having interviews also gives her a sense of accomplishment. Quinta reveals that after Abbott Elementary finishes, she wishes for the show to have created something that makes the world a little better than it is now. She strives for viewers to enjoy the show and hopes people think about the human condition while watching it.