‘Abbott Elementary’ Takes Home Its First Emmy Award — Can It Win 6 More?
Abbott Elementary is officially an Emmy winner. ABC‘s hit mockumentary-style comedy took home its first Emmy Award during Night 2 of the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 4. But the accolades might not stop there: Abbott Elementary is still vying to win in six other Emmy categories, including Outstanding Comedy Series. This first award could be a good sign of more to come during the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards next week.
‘Abbott Elementary’ wins its first Emmy award, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary debuted in December and became an instant hit for ABC. Created by Quinta Brunson, the show follows a group of teachers as they work through funding and employment challenges at Willard R. Abbott Elementary School in Philadelphia. Brunson also stars in the show, as well as Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
During Sunday’s Creative Arts Emmys, Abbott Elementary casting director Wendy O’Brien took home the award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series. Brunson took to Twitter to congratulate O’Brien and casting associate Chris Gehrt.
“Congrats to the Abbott Elementary casting department! Wendy and Chris are incredible at what they do,” Brunson wrote. “Working on a mockumentary is no small feat! I truly appreciate their hard work to help make Abbott what it is.”
This Emmy win is, of course, a huge milestone for Abbott Elementary simply because it’s a first for the show. However, a win in the casting category, in particular, could predict more positive news for its remaining Emmy nominations, especially Outstanding Comedy Series.
‘Abbott Elementary’ is a contender in 6 other Emmy categories
Including the casting nod, Abbott Elementary received seven Emmy nominations. Four of those nominations are in comedy series acting categories — Outstanding Actress (Brunson as Janine Teagues), Outstanding Supporting Actress (James as Ava Coleman and Ralph as Barbara Howard), and Outstanding Supporting Actor (Williams as Gregory Eddie). The series is also up for consideration for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
As Deadline pointed out, the casting categories have a history of predicting Outstanding Series wins. For example, last year, Ted Lasso won Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series and then went on to win Outstanding Comedy Series. The same goes for several other comedy nominees, including Schitt’s Creek, Fleabag, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more. Now, it’s worth noting that Abbott Elementary will have tough competition in this category with Ted Lasso also in the running.
Another close race will be the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category. IndieWire noted that Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham is most likely to win here for the second year in a row. However, Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph have already received a ton of acting praise that could translate to an Emmy win.
Quinta Brunson already broke a record with her Emmy nominations
It’s a huge year for Brunson with her name attached to three Emmys. She’s a strong contender to win in the writing and lead actress categories. However, even without those wins, Brunson has already made history. As Variety reported in July, the comedian is “the first Black woman to earn three noms in the comedy categories in the same year.” Plus, she holds the record for the youngest Black woman to be Emmy-nominated for acting in the comedy genre.
Fans of Brunson and Abbott Elementary will have to tune into the awards show next week to see how the competition plays out. The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards air on Monday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
