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Without its perfect ensemble,Abbott Elementarywouldnt be such a runaway smash.
One of those standout players is Lisa Ann Walter.
They practically wrote me!
she says ofAbbottcreatorQuinta Brunsonand her colleagues approach to Melissa, an Italian-by-way-of-South-Philly pragmatist.
Abbott Elementarywas animmediate phenomenon.
People, first and foremost, said its funny AF.
What we saw is people recognizing all of that and talking about it with each other.
It was really after the first episode.
Its not usual for a web connection sitcom to do that.
Youre often doing scenes with a gaggle of kids around you.
One day I walked into my classroom and I got to know all the students.
It was the first day standing in front of my class, and I started to ask them questions.
My mother was a teacher for 30-something years in D.C. public schools, and she taught at home.
She taught me to read when I was 3, she taught us math in the grocery store.
And I have four kids that I know of.
For me, teaching is natural.
Sometimes I text my kids toddler videos and say, All right, I need some grandbabies.
Yall are being selfish.
Youre getting a Ph.D.?
Make me a grandbaby.
Melissa has a guy for everything.
What do you have a guy for?Everything.
Honestly, Ive got to have a deal or Im not happy.
This is how Sheryl Lee Ralph and I first bonded.
We went shopping together for Christmas down at the outlet mall when we were on location together.
Wed go right to the back of the store and check the clearance racks first.
Youve gotta have a guy!
And you know what?
Thats a little New York Italian tip.
You had a presence in internet sitcoms for a number of years.
I mean, bless her.
Thats not really true, but I started as an actress.
They got me an acting teacher, and it was somebody who trained people on the movieStriptease.
I was like, I do Shakespeare, motherfucker.
I do the Greeks.
Thats what I thought I was going to be: a theater actress in a repertory company.
I had to fight to do what I do.
This was not a time when women were accepted in stand-up.
It was 20 years before Ali Wong got onstage.
All of that to say: Thats the reason why I got that show.
Other people werent talking about being a working mom.
How did you process what happened with that show?
EventuallyEmerilcame around, and that didnt last long either.No, but we didnt necessarily think it would.
I got a chance to work with Sherri Shepherd, who I knew from stand-up.
What was weird was that in between all of that, people do deals with you.
CBS had wanted me when we did the ABC deal, so then they picked me up afterward.
But I didnt know!
Its weird what you find out way after the fact.
What was the premise of that show?It was calledLate Bloomer.
But a couple of things were going on at the time.
Just before we started doingLifes Work, my ex came out to me.
Hes my best friend, hes at my house every weekend.
I was trying to combat anxiety, which Id had as a teenager.
I just felt,Am I alone now?
What was important to me in creating that sitcom was being a voice to women I thought were underrepresented.
My mother always said I should be a lawyer, which I think was not a compliment.
I wrote this long op-ed that I sent to everybody I knew in the business, like Judd Apatow.
Because they would come to me and say, Were going to offer you this part.
There was no push to lose weight or have a different body throw in.
Thats been the truth of my entire career, certainly when you were the lead.
And I was like,I think thats good, what they just said.
I reposted it and said, This is blowing me away.
And it really was.
As women, we thought wed always be chased around desks and attempt to laugh it off.
We never thought it would change.
What didThe Parent Trapdo for your career?WhenParent Traphappened, the response was kind of likeAbbott.
And it was multigenerational.
That movie would exist as a rom-com if you slightly edged it to the parents stuff.
They were hot, and people were in love with them getting back together.
For as weird a concept as it is, people loved the fairy tale of it.
I had no idea it was going to last.
I wanted you to be my nanny!
And the gay community saying, I discovered my queer self in your character.
The enormity of being that for this generation surprised me.
People are like, You must get a million dollars because its always on TV.
Thats not how it works.
There was a TV show they were developing about a female shock jock.
In the pilot episode, she was engaged to this guy and he leaves her and shes broken-hearted.
I had an audition, and they were laughing and crying.
Ikilledit, and the showrunner didnt want me.
It was perfect for me.
Its all the funny women in L.A., and now its great because that pool is broadened.
Its not just the funny white women; its everybody.
I think it was Kristen Johnston who told me, Somebodys playing your role.
It was the funny chick in a rom-com, and it was Kathryn Hahn.
And I went, No, thats her role now.
That was my role ten years ago.
Of course, shes exploded.
I met her at a political thing.
She said, My son thinks its me inThe Parent Trap.
How was it dancing with Jennifer Lopez?A dream.
He studied for months before I came on the project.
Jennifer, I would just sit on the floor and watch her work and just cry.
Shed come over and pat my head.
She glows like shes lit from within.
They last forever for a reason.
Ive seen it up close.
Jen Aniston was a delight, and Jennifer Lopez was a delight.
I thought,I could have asked for more money!
Now you have a bargaining chip for season two.Well, Im not going to be a jerk.
Ill let my people be jerks.
As a testament to Quinta, she had a very clear vision of what she wanted.
She knew the voice she wanted for each character.
She was absolutely spot-on.
One of the reasons the show is a success is our chemistry.
Its like a choir, and were each taking different pieces.
She was spot-on about Janelle James.
As a writer, I know what thats like.
Shell turn around and say, That is an entire baby that knows you.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
