You may have heard of a little show called Abbott Elementary—the mockumentary-style sitcom that many have dubbed the Black version of The Office (the show features a majority Black cast and has similar workplace comedy vibes).
In 2022, the actress and meme connoisseur made history at the Emmy Awards by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated three times in comedy categories, with nods for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Comedy Series (as executive producer) and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Then, in 2023, she became the first Black woman in over four decades to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy.
Now, Brunson is nominated for two 2024 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series—and she's got an honorary Temple University degree under her belt. Plus, the actress is set to return as Janine Teagues in season four of Abbott Elementary (which premieres on October 9, 2024), and she'll be joining actress Stephanie Hsu for their upcoming comedy feature, Par for the Course.
Brunson previously spoke about the Abbott Elementary writing staff, which is primarily female. “We hear each other out on what we think makes these characters layered,” she told Time magazine. “Everyone’s open to taking the lead and taking charge on these stories.”