Quinta Brunson (/ˈkwɪntə/; born December 21, 1989) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for creating, executive producing, co-writing and starring as second-grade teacher Janine Teagues in the ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary (2021–present). For her work on Abbott Elementary, Brunson won two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
Awards
At the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, she became the first Black woman to be nominated three times in the comedy category, winning at the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series category. At the 75th ceremony, she became the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy in over 40 years. Brunson was honored with a 2022 Peabody Award for her work on Abbott Elementary.
Personal Life and Education
Quinta Brunson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She grew up in a large family; she was the youngest of five and has said that her childhood in Philadelphia shaped her sense of humor and the way she writes about everyday life. Brunson attended Temple University, where she studied advertising. While she was in college, she started making short comedy videos and posting them online. She later decided to leave temple to focus on comedy and content creation full time.
Career Beginnings
After gaining some popularity, she worked at BuzzFeed Video as a writer and producer. At BuzzFeed, she created and was featured in many digital sketches and series, which helped her build experience in writing, acting, and producing. Her work in online media eventually helped her gain opportunities in television, including creating and starring the show Abbott Elementary. Her Philadelphia roots are also very important to her. Her mother was a teacher in the Philadelphia school system, which also influences the creation of her tv show.
