Quinta Brunson

Quinta Brunson is an actress, writer and comedian best known for starring as Janine Teagues in the ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary, which she also created, executive produced and wrote. The show has earned multiple accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Brunson began her comedy career in Chicago’s Second City during her sophomore year at Temple University. She later dropped out and moved to Los Angeles in 2013. Her breakout came in 2014 with the viral series A Girl Who’s Never Been on a Nice Date, leading to her collaboration with BuzzFeed, where she produced and acted in videos, developing two series with BuzzFeed Motion Pictures.

In 2019, Brunson appeared in iZombie and voiced characters in Lazor Wulf. She costarred and wrote for HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show in the fall of that year, and in 2020, she costarred in Magical Girl Friendship Squad. In 2021, her pilot Harrity Elementary was picked up by ABC and later renamed Abbott Elementary. The series premiered in December 2021, with the fourth season debuting in October 2024. Brunson won a Primetime Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role.

Brunson is married to sales manager Kevin Jay Anik. She shared her engagement in 2020 and announced their marriage during her 2022 Emmys acceptance speech. Brunson filed for divorce in 2025.