Janelle James loves being a bad boss
Ava ‘controlled chaos’ on ‘Abbott Elementary,’ comedian says
Janelle James had no desire to be a TV actor. For years, she was content building a career in stand-up, landing the occasional writing gig or minor on-screen role.
But as any good comedian knows, timing is everything. So when the chance arrived to be in ABC comedy “Abbott Elementary” — her first regular TV role and, by most measures, the show’s funniest — it helped that she was ready for something new and had already spent a decade in the trenches. Turns out, it’s easier doing TV comedy if you’re already a proven comedian.
“Half of being a comedian is knowing how to pace a joke, how to say it, so someone else could be given the same lines, and it won’t be as funny,” she said in a recent interview. Of course, having great writers in this case was paramount, she said; her typically improvisational style wasn’t always fit for family viewing.
“I’m not used to speaking in network TV terms yet,” she added — many of her best ad-libs were still somewhere on the cutting room floor. “Maybe next year.”
Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” has been this season’s breakout network sitcom, a timely mockumentary-style show about a group of dedicated teachers at an overcrowded, underfunded public school in Philadelphia. Praised for its humor and poignancy, the show was an instant success, its December premiere having drawn more than 7 million viewers across all platforms (including Hulu) in the first month. Many series face uncertain fates heading into season’s end. ABC ordered a second season of “Abbott Elementary” almost a month before its recently aired finale.
The show has also made James a breakout star. Amid school closures, teacher strikes and school board fisticuffs, her character, Ava Coleman — the school’s principal and the show’s comedic foil — put a humorous face on the frustrations of millions. And Ava aligned well with James’ impish and irreverent style. Whereas Brunson’s character, Janine Teagues, is selflessly devoted to her students, Ava is gleefully incompetent, ethically challenged and has a passion for TikTok and doomsday prepping.
This interview with James has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: What about this script appealed to you? A:
It was funny. I’m a comedian, so that appeals to me, and if I were to act, I didn’t necessarily want my first role to be a dramatic crying role. So I was like, ‘Oh, comedy, I can do that.’ And it was hilarious, which is hard for a script to be.
Q: How would you describe Ava? A:
Ava is controlled chaos. Basically, she is someone who’s fashionable. She is an opportunist. She lives in a moment. This sounds like my dating profile or something. But she is funny; she’s unaware; she’s dedicated to Ava.
Q: What do you think she brings to the show’s dynamic?
A: She’s someone for all the other characters to play opposite against. Everyone else has the kids and the school’s best interests at heart, and I do not. So I create the problems. Janine also creates problems — basically by caring too much. I create problems by not caring enough.
Q: Who inspired you as you were creating this lovable villain persona? A:
I wasn’t necessarily thinking of a specific person. I think in the pilot, I was more calculated; when she calls the meeting to basically dress down Janine in front of everyone else, that’s a very specific type of person who does stuff like that. I was specifically thinking about a previous boss that I had who would do what I call toxic positivity, where she’s saying things with a smile on her face that are horrible. And then after that, I’m basically doing a combination of a couple of my aunts and some of myself, of course.
Q: I think one of the surprising things about Ava is that she’s revealed to be a doomsday prepper. Where did that come from? A:
That comes from our excellent writers. I mean, it lends to how chaotic she is in that she has all these interests and separate personalities that just come out of nowhere. It is like, oh, she’s a doomsday prepper; she’s into “X-Men”; she’s a clothes hound. She’s all over the place, and I like that. You never know what she’s going to say or do or what she’s into.
Q: Do you think someone that online and disconnected from working hard would actually want to survive the apocalypse?
A: I feel like it’s a mix of ego — anyone who thinks they could survive the apocalypse is super egotistical. You know what I mean? As soon as she can’t get a nail appointment, she’s going to take herself out. But she maybe wants to live the first couple of days in luxury, before she gives up in her bunker. But, yeah, she doesn’t have a real idea of what the end times are. She thinks she’s going to stay in her bunker and watch “Housewives” … and have her beauty products and then emerge when things are over.
Q: What are your hopes for Ava next season? A:
I mean, you know, new wardrobe, of course — don’t want to repeat. But I don’t really have any hopes for her because I think she’s perfect. Like, it’s all good. More of the same or more … I don’t even want to say funnier because she’s hilarious. More high-level high jinks — maybe she could take her scamming outside the school, or, you know, do bigger scams. More blackmail. More chaos. That’s what I hope for Ava.
Q: What else do you hope to work on in the future? A:
Just more comedies. I’d like to act more. But I’m very picky about the things I involve myself in. When I took this, I told Quinta I had been waiting on her because a lot of (stuff ) is corny, and I have a reputation. So I’m hoping to work on more non-corny productions. “Abbott” has really spoiled me for working anywhere else, so it better be good. I’m also going to be back on the road, doing stand-up, and I hope to sell out for the first time. It’s very hard, no matter how popular you are, for a female comic to sell out their dates. And this is something that comics and club owners talk about all the time. Like, it really isn’t a matter of how funny you are; people are just less likely to take a chance on an unknown female comic. So now that I’m more known, I’m hoping that people will come out and enjoy me as Janelle James as well.