The cast of Abbott Elementary enjoyed a teachers’ night out at the 2023 Emmy Awards.
Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tyler James Williams and more cast members of the ABC comedy series hit the red carpet at the Monday, January 15, awards ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Brunson, 34, looked pretty in pink with a Christian Dior gown while her costars Janelle James and Lisa Ann Walter opted for bold red hues with their gown choices. Williams, 31, turned heads with his suit, which was leather from head to toe.
Abbott Elementary scored a total of eight nominations for its second season, which premiered in September 2022, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling.
This year’s ceremony marks Brunson’s second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Janine Teagues, while Ralph, 67, and Janelle Jones also scored their second Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nods as Barbara Howard and Ava Coleman, respectively.
Ralph took home the title at the 2022 Emmys in September 2022 and delivered a powerful musical speech upon receiving her first-ever Emmy statue. “I am an endangered species / but I sing no victim’s song,” she belted on stage, earning a standing ovation. “I am a woman, I am an artist / And I know where my voice belongs!”
She continued, “To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like. And don’t you ever, ever give up on you because if you get a Quinta Brunson in your corner, if you get a husband like mine in your corner, if you get children like mine in your corner, and if you’ve got friends like everybody who voted for me, cheered for me, loved me … thank you!”
Much like his costars, Williams, 31, is also nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Gregory Eddie. Marking her fourth overall Emmy nomination, Taraji P. Henson earned an Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nod for her guest appearance as Janine’s mother, Vanetta, in season 2’s penultimate episode titled “Mom.”
The series, created by Brunson, scored a total of seven Emmy nominations in 2022 and won Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Though the show was renewed for a third season in January 2023, production was put on pause due to the Hollywood strikes. Brunson explained to Deadline in October 2023 that season 3 will have “fewer episodes” because of the strikes, adding “I welcomed a shorter season because it’s tiring, exhausting work. Love it, but exhausting for me.”
The WGA ended its strike in September 2023, followed by SAG-AFTRA in November. Brunson celebrated the series’ upcoming return via Instagram last month, captioning a show promo video, “Feb 7th. We’re back :).”
Scroll down to see the cast’s 2023 Emmys outfits:
