Taraji P. Henson Joins ‘Abbott Elementary’ to Play [SPOILER]

Dan Clarendon April 2, 2023, 1:12 pm

Abbott Elementary viewers have heard about Janine Teagues’ mother on the ABC sitcom, but soon they’ll put a face to the reputation:Empire alum Taraji P. Henson will play that character, Vanetta, in April 12’s penultimate Season 2 episode, fittingly titled “Mom.”

The casting coup was announced at the Abbott Elementary panel at PaleyFest in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 1, according to Variety, which first reported the announcement.

The Abbott Elementary Twitter account also shared the news on Saturday, posting a photo of star and creator Quinta Brunson posing with Henson in the hallways of the fictional school. “About that episode titled ‘Mom’ you saw earlier…” the show’s Twitter caption reads.

about that episode titled "mom" you saw earlier…@tarajiphenson pic.twitter.com/k8Xlgr0yeH

— Abbott Elementary (@AbbottElemABC) April 1, 2023

In “Mom,” Janine (Brunson) plots a solo vacation for Memorial Day weekend, but those plans go out the window when Vanetta drops by unannounced and asks for Janine’s help, THR adds. In another storyline in the episode, Gregory (Tyler James Williams) tries to elevate his people skills.

Janine and sister Ayesha (Ayo Edebiri) referenced some of their backstory with Vanetta in March 8’s episode, “Teacher Appreciation,” as they argued about Ayesha fleeing Philadelphia.

“You know how much dealing with Mom is, but you got to leave and go to Colorado and be cool and interesting,” Janine told Ayesha during that conversation. “Meanwhile, I am still here dealing with her by myself.”

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Replied Ayesha: “People had hopes for you, and they gave up on me. You had it together. I didn’t. And I couldn’t get together when Mom… when the person who needed me the most was the most disappointed in me.”

Henson is an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor who won a Golden Globe for her performance as Cookie Lyon in the Fox musical drama Empire. Other notable credits include the films Hustle & Flow, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Hidden Figures and the TV show Person of Interest.

Since the 2020 finale of Empire, the 52-year-old has appeared in the TV specials Muppets Haunted Mansion and Annie Live!, lent her voice to the animated movie Minions: The Rise of Gru, and singed up for a new film adaptation of The Color Purple.

Abbott Elementary, Wednesdays, 9/8c, ABC