By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — The award winning sitcom “Abbott Elementary” is getting a casting boost via the addition of a major film and TV star for a guest role.
Taraji P. Henson, an Oscar and Emmy nominated actress know for roles in the film “Hidden Figures” and the television show “Empire” among many other projects, will appear on the show April 12.
She is playing the mother of the show’s creator Quinta Brunson. Brunson is also part of the cast and an executive producer.
Henson made the announcement from the stage during an appearance at Paleyfest last week.
This is the next to last episode of the show for this season. It airs Wednesday nights at 7 pm on ABC (Ch.2) and has already been renewed for a third season. The show spotlights a Philadelphia school and the problems and daily lives of its faculty and students. It recently won Emmy awards for writing and cast member Sheryl Lee Ralph for Best Supporting Actress.
The Henson appearance may lead to either a recurring role or repeated guest appearances, though neither of those possibilities was mentioned by Henson or the show during her announcement.