Janelle James Says Abbott Elementary Had to “Go Find Kids” — And Hollywood Should Pay Attention

Janelle James doesn’t mince words, on-screen or off, and her recent explanation of why Abbott Elementary struggled to cast its child actors is peak Ava-level realness, minus the Ava merch. While chatting on Vulture’s Good One podcast, James broke down a challenge most viewers never even consider: finding actual kids who looked like the students the show was portraying. And not theater-camp prodigies or TikTok monologue stars, real kids who reflected the community Abbott is set in.

James pointed out a stark reality in Hollywood’s backyard: there simply aren’t many dark-skinned Black children in Los Angeles who are represented by agents, and therefore, not many who are regularly auditioning for TV roles. And honestly? That tracks. Kids can’t drive themselves to auditions, manage portfolios, or keep up with set schedules, they need parents with time, flexibility, and resources to make child acting even remotely feasible. As James noted, that kind of support isn’t always accessible, especially in the communities the show aims to represent authentically.

So the casting team including creator Quinta Brunson and casting director Wendy O’Brien had to do what any resourceful teacher at Abbott would do: they went off the grid. The show’s team cast a wider net, searching beyond Hollywood’s usual pipelines and straight into local communities, training centers, and families. Many of the kids who ended up on the show had never stepped onto a set before. And that was the point.

Brunson specifically wanted children who felt natural on camera, not precocious mini-adults trained to hit marks like tiny sitcom veterans. The mockumentary format rewards authenticity, messy, funny, real-kid energy and the show found it by looking where other productions don’t bother to look.

James also shared that watching these young actors grow has been one of the unexpected joys of the series. The kids leveled up right alongside the adults, finding their rhythm and confidence in front of the camera a real-life classroom experience happening inside a fictional one.

The takeaway? Abbott Elementary didn’t just cast kids. It made space for kids who rarely get the opportunity. And in doing so, it built one of TV’s most genuine fictional classrooms. Hollywood, take notes, sometimes you have to leave the casting office and actually go outside.

Drop your thoughts in The TV Cave — does knowing this behind-the-scenes journey change how you see the Abbott kids?