Looking Back at “Abbott Elementary” Star Quinta Brunson's Best Roles

Along with playing Janine Teagues in “Abbott Elementary,” Brunson also created, writes, and produces the show. Her inspiration behind creating the series stems from two people: her mother and her sixth grade teacher, Ms. Abbott (whom the show is named after). “I got inspired from spending some time with my mom before she retired,” Brunson told “Time.” “For about 40 years, she had taught and I’d been with her so much. I was in her kindergarten class when I was little. . . . That environment felt very natural to me, and I felt that I could tell some really strong stories there.”

Along with a loaded cast including Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, and Gabrielle Dennis, as well as guest stars Laverne Cox, Issa Rae, and Angela Bassett (to name a few), Brunson plays various characters in the first season of HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” She talked about the impact of the show and the representation of Black women comedians in an interview with “Nylon.” “People get to see these four different women doing sketch comedy, and doing this together,” she said. “Even when I watch the show sometimes, I’m like, ‘I have never seen this before.'”

Around the time Brunson was still working with BuzzFeed, she created, wrote, produced, and starred as Miloh in “Broke,” a limited comedy series that follows the adventures of three friends as they move from Philadelphia to Los Angeles to accomplish their goals and follow their dreams.

Brunson stars alongside a stellar cast featuring Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi in Simon Rich’s “Miracle Workers,” a comedy anthology series. Brunson is a recurring character in the show, playing tough and spunky outlaw Trig in the third season, titled “Oregon Trail.”

In “Big Mouth,” Brunson voices the character Quinta Foreman, the cousin of lovable nerd Missy Foreman-Greenwald. Brunson’s lent her voice to four episodes of the show, adding her beloved comedic flair to the character.