Janelle James would prefer people not compare her to her Abbott Elementary character.
James stars as the selfishly incompetent principal Ava Coleman on ABC’s Emmy-winning mockumentary.
While the breakout role has won her swathes of new fans, the actor said she would rather “people see me outside of the character of Ava”.
“I am not Ava; I am acting,” James told Variety in a new cover interview. “I’m not ashamed to be Ava, but when people say, ‘You’re just like your character,’ that’s an insult.
“I’m doing a lot of work to bring this b**** to life.”
Abbott Elementary is the series teachers have deserved for so long, and has been a hit with viewers and critics since its January 2022 debut.
“People have taken to Abbott Elementary because it’s a true workplace comedy,” the show’s star and creator Quinta Bruson said in a previous interview with The Independent.
Abbott Elementary won three out of its seven Emmy nominations at last year’s ceremony and is expected to land more this year.
The show follows a group of dedicated Philadelphian educators who face incredible challenges brought on by the city’s lack of public school funding in order to provide the best for their students.
Abbott Elementary airs Wednesdays at 9pm EST on ABC in the US. Season two will be available to stream on Disney Plus in the UK later this year.
