Quinta Brunson is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer known for creating, producing and starring in the ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary.
She made history at the Emmys as the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in over 40 years.
Brunson’s work extends to advocacy, impacting real-life teachers and students through the show’s initiatives.
Her success reflects a blend of talent, dedication, and a commitment to storytelling that resonates with audiences.
Siblings
Brunson is the youngest of five siblings. Her siblings are significantly older than her, with her closest brother being eight years older.
His siblings played a big role in her developing a sense of humor and getting into comedy.
As the youngest, Brunson wanted to connect with her older siblings, so she started doing impressions and comedy bits from shows like In Living Color and Martin to make them laugh and get their attention.
Her sister Jia was particularly influential, often taking Quinta to places she didn’t belong, like Usher concerts, which helped shape her comedic sensibilities.
Brunson’s brother Quay also introduced her to wrestling and comedies like Ace Ventura.
Career
Brunson has had a diverse and successful career in the entertainment industry, primarily as an actress, comedian, writer and producer.
She has acted in several TV series, including iZombie, Single Parents, Miracle Workers, and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Brunson provides voice work for animated shows like Lazor Wulf and Magical Girl Friendship Squad.
Her breakout role was as the lead actress in her hit ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary, for which she won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2022.
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Brunson started gaining prominence for her self-produced Instagram series The Girl Who Has Never Been on a Nice Date in 2014.
She went on to produce and act in content for BuzzFeed Video, developing a strong online following.
Brunson has written and produced several series, including Quinta vs. Everything for Facebook Watch and Abbott Elementary.
She co-starred in and wrote for the HBO sketch comedy series A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Brunson is an executive producer on Abbott Elementary, in addition to creating, writing, and starring in it. She has produced other series like Hair Flick and Quinta vs. Everything.
Awards
Brunson has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.
She won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series in 2023 for her role as Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary.
Brunson also won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series in 2022 and Outstanding Comedy Series in 2022 as an executive producer for Abbott Elementary.
At the Golden Globe Awards, she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2024 and won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2023.
Other accolades include being named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2022, receiving a 2022 Peabody Award for her work in Abbott Elementary and being included in The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 list in 2022.
Brunson was the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education commencement speaker in 2023 and received an honorary degree from Temple University, where she also delivered the commencement speech in 2024.
In 2024, she received the Peabody Trailblazer Award.
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