Sheryl Lee Ralph on the ‘Abbott Elementary’ Character She Originally Wanted to Play, and the Director’s Note That Led Her to an Emmy
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When Sheryl Lee Ralph first read Quinta Brunson’s pilot script to “Abbott Elementary,” she knew exactly which character she wanted to play: Ava Coleman, the inappropriate principal who only seems to have her own best interests at heart. But Brunson had another idea. “She was just short of [saying,] ‘Oh, hell no!’” Ralph says. “She said, ‘We need a queen for Barbara Howard. And you are that queen!’ And I was just like, ‘Baby, if you put it that way, How do I say no? What else do I need to know about that? I’m going to be the queen. I love it. Yes, I’m ready.’” Janelle James wound up being cast as Ava, and landed an Emmy nomination this year for the role. But tapping Ralph to play Barbara, the no-nonsense, seen-it-all veteran teacher in “Abbott Elementary,” also turned out to be the right move. On Monday night, Ralph was rewarded with an Emmy for outstanding actress in a comedy series.