The Full Cast of ‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 6 (With Photos)
The sixth season of ‘Abbott Elementary’ brings the show’s core faculty back to ABC alongside a newcomer who arrives after several schools in the district closed. The cast guide for the season reunites the teachers, the principal and the custodian who have anchored the series.
This breakdown covers the ‘Abbott Elementary’ cast member by member, including who each actor plays and where each character stands as the school year begins. The season also opens with a shakeup in the administration, since Gregory accepted the assistant principal job at the end of the previous year.
Quinta Brunson
Quinta Brunson created the series and stars as Janine Teagues, a second grade teacher at a fictional public elementary school in West Philadelphia. Janine is endlessly optimistic and determined to give her students the education and support they deserve, even when funding is scarce.
Over five seasons Janine has grown more confident as a teacher, leader and person. She briefly left the classroom to work for the school district before deciding Abbott was where she belonged, and her friendship with Gregory became a romance.
The new season returns her to the classroom as Abbott starts another year following the budget crisis that nearly closed the school. The series has earned 30 Emmy nominations, with acting wins for Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Tyler James Williams
Tyler James Williams plays Gregory Eddie, a reserved and practical teacher who first came to Abbott as a substitute. He once aimed to become a principal, but he enjoyed teaching enough to accept a permanent classroom position.
Gregory is more levelheaded than many of his coworkers, though his time at the school has pushed him to engage with its community. His relationship with Janine developed slowly, and the two became a couple at the end of the third season.
At the close of the previous season he accepted the assistant principal role, a step toward his original career goal. The sixth season has him balancing administrative duties with his work in the classroom.
Janelle James
Janelle James plays Ava Coleman, the self-absorbed, unpredictable and often inappropriate principal. Ava landed the job by blackmailing the superintendent, despite having little experience in education and even less interest in running a school.
Her habit of avoiding work and putting almost anything ahead of her duties regularly frustrates the teachers. Even so, she has grown more invested in Abbott and its students, and she has stepped up when the school needed her.
Ava also flirts openly with Gregory, who has shown no interest. His promotion means the two must now work closely on administrative decisions, which creates a new dynamic between them.
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph plays Barbara Howard, an old school kindergarten teacher and one of the most experienced educators at Abbott. After twenty years in the classroom she has earned the respect of coworkers and students, and even the rowdiest children straighten up when she appears.
Barbara often serves as a mentor and voice of reason, particularly for Janine, whom she considers her work daughter. She can be traditional, but her years at the school have pushed her to adapt and learn from the younger teachers.
She helped the staff fight to keep Abbott open during the district budget cuts and returns as one of the school’s most respected teachers. Disney’s renewal announcement identifies Ralph as an Emmy winner.
Lisa Ann Walter
Lisa Ann Walter plays Melissa Schemmenti, a veteran second grade teacher known for her bluntness, her temper and her mysterious network of connections. When the school needs supplies or a favor, Melissa usually knows a guy who knows a guy.
She is a realist who expects little help from the district and is skeptical of the ambitious ideas offered by younger teachers like Janine and Jacob. She is also stubborn and slow to forget when someone gets on her bad side.
Beneath her tough exterior she cares deeply about her students and loved ones, and she is especially close with Barbara. She now serves as a union representative.
Chris Perfetti
Chris Perfetti plays Jacob Hill, an enthusiastic and socially awkward history teacher. Jacob is passionate about the job, but he often tries too hard to connect with his students, which has earned him a corny nickname.
He is outspoken about his beliefs and frequently brings up his volunteer work and community involvement. His eagerness and tendency to overshare can be a lot for the people around him.
Jacob is a frequent target of jokes from students and coworkers, yet he rarely takes the teasing personally. He often treats it as a form of bonding.
William Stanford Davis
William Stanford Davis plays Mr. Johnson, the eccentric janitor who also fills in as a substitute teacher. Keeping the school clean is technically his job, but he regularly involves himself in whatever is happening at Abbott.
Mr. Johnson has a story, theory or unusual solution for nearly every situation. He often makes bizarre claims about his past, leaving his coworkers to decide how much of it is true.
He is also resourceful, frequently revealing a random skill or piece of knowledge that helps when the school runs into a problem. Disney lists Davis among the series stars alongside Brunson, Williams, James, Perfetti, Walter and Ralph.
Katy Mixon
Katy Mixon Greer joins the series as a new teacher who arrives after several schools in the district close. Her character moves into Melissa’s former classroom.
It does not take long for the two to clash. The season trailer shows the newcomer standing her ground against Melissa in a dispute over who gets to claim a particular chair.
With Melissa now a union representative, another strong willed teacher gives her plenty to handle. More new teachers are expected, though their names and the actors playing them have not been revealed. Whether the newcomer or Melissa deserves that contested chair is a question worth settling in the comments.
