Janelle James, star of the hit TV show Abbott Elementary, made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and gave fans an inside look into her life since joining the show. In the lively interview, Janelle shared that her life has changed significantly since joining the cast of Abbott Elementary, including moving to LA, buying a car, and earning two Emmy nominations. But with fame comes recognition, and Janelle admitted that she now gets recognized in public quite often. Gone are the days when Target was her safe space.
To cope with the newfound attention, Janelle has resorted to wearing disguises when she goes out in public. However, even with a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, her distinctive voice and laugh give her away every time. She jokingly mentioned attempting different accents, like an Italian one, but to no avail. It seems like hiding from her fans is a near-impossible task.
Being known for her high-energy character on Abbott Elementary, Janelle revealed that she often gets approached by fans who expect her to be just as energetic in real life. While she enjoys meeting other celebrities at events, she doesn’t usually approach them herself. However, Janelle was pleasantly surprised when she learned that acclaimed director Steven Spielberg was a fan of her work and the show. They even had a 10-minute conversation about Abbott Elementary, teaching, and their shared love for comedic performances.
When asked if she hopes Spielberg would cast her in one of his movies, Janelle expressed her love for dinosaurs, hinting that she wouldn’t mind a role in a dinosaur-themed film. She considers her character on Abbott Elementary to be the best role on the show and wouldn’t trade it for any other character.
During the interview, Jimmy Kimmel also brought up Janelle’s habit of greeting people in character during studio tours of the Abbott Elementary set. Janelle mentioned that fans seem to love the added pizzazz she brings to their studio experience.
Janelle’s journey into acting is quite unique. As a stand-up comedian, she initially auditioned for writing jobs before catching the attention of Don Cheadle. Impressed by her set, Cheadle recommended her for a writing job, which she landed. While working on the show Black Monday, Janelle seized the opportunity to write herself a part, ultimately making her acting debut on the show.
When asked if the other writers were annoyed by her self-casting, Janelle humorously shared that some of them attempted the same after seeing her success. It seems she started a trend among the writing team.
In conclusion, Janelle James‘s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live was filled with entertaining anecdotes and candid insights into her life since joining Abbott Elementary. From her struggles with disguises to unexpected encounters with legendary directors, Janelle is certainly living an exciting and fulfilling life in the entertainment industry. Tune in to Abbott Elementary every Wednesday night at 9 on ABC, and don’t miss the chance to catch up on Hulu.
