Taraji P. Henson’s guest appearance on the ABC sitcom “Abbott Elementary” has caused quite a stir on the internet. This news has raised the excitement level for the show’s fans, who are eagerly waiting for her performance.
Henson will be playing the role of Vanetta, the mother of Janine Teagues, a second-grade teacher at an underfunded school in Philadelphia. She will be making an appearance on the show’s latest episode, titled “Mom.”
Her guest appearance on Abbott Elementary was teased in a preview, which showed her heels clicking down the linoleum hallway as she entered Janine’s classroom unannounced with a green fur coat, a large Gucci bag, and Versace leggings. In the episode, Vanetta shows up and ruins Janine’s Memorial Day plans when she asks her daughter for help.
Ready to meet Janine’s mom? 😏 Don’t miss @tarajiphenson on #AbbottElementary tonight at 9/8c on ABC & Stream on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/K4E18lBmg0
— Abbott Elementary (@AbbottElemABC) April 12, 2023
The aforementioned episode, which recently aired on ABC on April 12th, is now accessible to stream on Hulu. Here’s how international viewers could watch Abbott Elementary on Hulu.
Her appearance on the show is expected to be a huge feather in the cap of the already-successful show. Henson has an exceptional acting range, and therefore, she is bound to put in a memorable performance.
Taraji P. Henson, known for her award-winning role as Cookie Lyon in “Empire,” played a music executive and mother of three sons in the aforementioned series. However, in “Abbott Elementary,” she will be taking on a different kind of motherly role.
To further add, she gave some insight into her character, describing Vanetta as “a mess” who “likes the clubs” and is “just a little selfish.” She contrasted Vanetta with her iconic character Cookie from Empire, saying: “She’s saucy, but she’s a little different…Cookie had her stuff together…this girl, she’s just a mess.”
During her promotion of multiple projects and her haircare line on The View, Henson shared how she landed the role. She personally requested the guest role from the show’s creator-star, Quinta Brunson. The two had met on the set of another project and Henson expressed her interest in joining the cast of “Abbott Elementary.”
She recounted: “I love it. I was a fan. Actually, I requested to be on the show. Quinta and I were competing on Jimmy Fallon’s That’s My Jam, and I was singing her praises. I was telling her how proud of her I was, and I was like, ‘Girl, you know, any time you need me, call me.’ And she called! I was like, ‘Absolutely, I’ll do it.‘”
Furthermore, she also mentioned feeling a personal connection to the show, which is centered around the struggles of teachers and students in an underfunded school district. She revealed that she has a special bond to the educational system, having been a substitute teacher before her career took off.
While talking about that connection, she said that, “I have an affinity for teachers because I was a substitute teacher before my career took off. I love that show in a whole other way. It was just so much fun.”
Henson also shared her appreciation for the Abbott Elementary cast and crew, calling them “incredibly talented” and praising the show’s writing as “very witty, smart and funny.”
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Abbott Elementary, which follows a group of teachers working at a Philadelphia public school, has received critical and audience acclaim since its debut in December 2021. It won three Emmys at the 2022 ceremony, including one for Brunson’s writing and another for Sheryl Lee Ralph’s supporting performance.
Fans of the show are eagerly awaiting Henson’s performance and are excited to see how her character will fit into the storyline. With her exceptional acting skills and personal connection to the show, Henson is sure to leave a lasting impression on “Abbott Elementary.”
Her guest appearance on Abbott Elementary is just the beginning of more appearances to come. While Janine’s mother has only been mentioned a few times and their relationship is rocky, it’s hard to imagine the two only crossing paths once during the show’s run. Perhaps Vanetta will have an impact on Janine and Gregory’s on-and-off relationship.
