"Watch her help": Abbott Elementary co-creator describes how star Sheryl Lee Ralph guides kid actors on set

Abbott Elementary on ABC is one of the more loved comedy shows on television today. The series follows the challenging lives of public school teachers at Philadelphia's fictional Willard R. Abbott Elementary School.

Quinta Brunson, co-creator and star of the show, shared that Sheryl Lee Ralph, who portrays the role of kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard on Abbott Elementary, is hands-on during the shooting of the show and even helps guide the child actors to do their part properly.

Brunson spoke at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony about Ralph. She said,

“I watch her help make little actors out of the children who star on our show, by giving them tips to enunciate and to remind them that being an actor is a job and an honor, not something you get to do just because you're cute.”

Brunson shared that while she is shy on sets and tends to hide when fans come around, Ralph embraces everyone,

"Sheryl sings to the people. She asks them, 'How is your trip to Hollywood so far?' And she tells them to stream Abbott while giving them a smile brighter than the Hollywood sign itself. One they will never forget. Sometimes, she doesn't even have her wig on yet, and she is giving these people the show of a lifetime. She is an experience."

Who is Sheryl Lee Ralph in Abbott Elementary?

Sheryl Lee Ralph portrays the role of Barbara Howard, a veteran elementary school teacher at Willard R. Abbott Elementary School in Philadelphia. She has been a teacher for 20 years and is well respected in the community. Brunson, who plays the role of the young teacher at the school, Janine Teagues, is in awe of Howard. Howard is always straightforward with her words and would often help out her co-workers when they mess up.

Last year, Ralph spoke at the 'Abbott Elementary: Class Is in Session' panel at D23 Expo about her admiration for the character. As per People Magazine, she said,

“First of all, I really love Barbara Howard. It's that favorite teacher or the teacher that pushed you to do just a bit better because she saw in you what you might not have seen in yourself."

She added,

“When I look at these kids that come into my classroom every year and their little faces believing that I'm their teacher. Oh my God, it's just the best. And they write me when the show is over, they'll keep in touch, they'll tell me what they did during the summer.”

For her portrayal of Barbara Howard, Ralph has won several accolades, including the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The critically acclaimed series has an ensemble cast of Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, William Stanford Davis, Janelle James, Tyler James Williams, Chris Perfetti, and Lisa Ann Walter, among others. Abbott Elementary was recently renewed for Season 5.

Watch Abbott Elementary on ABC and streaming platform Hulu.

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