Even after a weekend celebrating Abbott Elementary’s huge wins at the SAG Awards and the NAACP Image Awards, Chris Perfetti can’t catch a break. Just a few days ago, the actor was caught thrusting two SAG statuettes in the air after winning the top ensemble award in the comedy television division. Now, Perfetti has returned to be roasted by his students on Abbott Elementary.
But it’s all worth it. Perfetti has killed it this season as corny, self-aware history teacher Jacob Hill, a white educator at a predominantly Black public school in Philly—though the show’s middle schoolers pull no punches when it comes to giggling at Jacob’s humblebrags about owning Kendrick Lamar records and being a part of a traveling theater troupe for children.
Even as the kids (and Jacob’s peers) tease him for his eccentricities, there are plenty of more earnest, heartfelt moments he shares with his co-stars. In this week’s episode, “Mural Arts,” Jacob has to come to terms with his students’ goofy idea for their artistic legacy: a mural featuring silly socks, characters from a fictional viral video. When Jacob thinks their mural should be more, well, meaningful, he attempts to steer them in the right direction with no consideration of their artistic vision.
Jacob has also learned many lessons from his colleagues this season. Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter)taught him how to love Christmas. Janitor Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) spared him no details on the ethics of how to raise a cat. Perfetti’s favorite part about filming Season 2, though, has been working more closely with creator and co-star Quinta Brunson. He’s loved the dynamic between Janine and Jacob as they become closer friends.
“The second season has brought a real confidence to all of us as actors, because we’ve been able to spend so much time with these characters now,” says Perfetti over Zoom, sporting a neat beanie similar to the ones he wore at both awards shows this weekend. “I hope it’s showing up in the episodes.”
After Abbott Elementary’s big SAG and Image Awards wins, Perfetti chatted with The Daily Beast’s Obsessed about this week’s episode, the hilarity of working with child actors, and his reaction to Gregory (Tyler James Williams) and Janine’s ongoing slow-burn romance.
Congrats on the wins at the NAACP Image Awards and the SAG Awards for Abbott this past weekend! Social media loved your hats at both events. What inspired you to wear these statement pieces?
Wow, I’m flattered! What can I say? I love a hat. When I got to LA, it was hailing. I was like, “It’s winter. I’m going to wear something heavy, and I’m going to be cozy.” I always prize comfortability in these settings to begin with. But yeah, I’m glad people dig it.
Let’s get into this week’s episode. You’ve talked about how respectful the young actors are to you, that they call you Mr. Hill even when the cameras aren’t rolling. Was it hard for them to roast Jacob in this episode?
I don’t think it’s hard for them at all, and I think there’s many reasons why that is—chief among them, I’m really impressed with the actors that have been cast in those roles. [Our show is] such an opportunity for so many young actors in the same place. It’s very cool.
Was it hard for them to be cruel to Jacob? [Laughs] No! If we’re doing our job correctly, the writers have set up these diametrically opposed forces. That is, hopefully, a recipe for comedy and conflict when Jacob is his own worst enemy. I’m going to speak for them and say no, they relished every moment in taking Jacob to task.
Do you have any fun stories about working with the kids?
They are pretty cute. Something ridiculous happens every day! Last year, my favorite [student]—I don’t know if I’m allowed to pick favorites—but my favorite one, he came up to me and told me he was supposed to have a line in a scene. [He said] that somebody had told him he was supposed to have a line.
He was totally lying! And totally cute. So I wasn’t offended by it at all. They’re ridiculous. Their proximity to play and fun is perfect for a show like this. It’s corny, but they’re the real teachers in this moment. If we’re going to act and play pretend and try to tell this story, being surrounded by kids is a really great reminder and inspiration to do that.
The charter school has become a rising issue. It was in your storyline last episode, and in Melissa and Barbara’s this episode. Why is that an important story for Abbott Elementary to tell?
Our show has done a really good job of trying to present both sides of any argument or struggle that one of the teachers encounters. It’s just a basic good tenet of playwriting. You need to imagine what the worst possible outcome for these people could be, and you have to have them face that. These people are so invested in the lives of their students. The thought of them not being able to [teach] is just good writing, good conflict.
Do you hear from a lot of teachers about how much they love this show?
That is really, at the end of the day, the biggest compliment. When the show is resonating with teachers, that’s really gratifying. We are making the show to be funny, to entertain people—but we’re not not making it for teachers as well. When somebody tells me that their job is actually like the show, or their job is worse than the show portrays it, it’s very meaningful.
I know she’s pretty tapped-in online, so does Quinta Brunson ever share tweets or social media reactions with you?
Quinta is really plugged into most things. I’ve heard that people like to talk about our show on Twitter. I’m on Twitter maybe three times a year, so I don’t know what people are saying. But I love that. I will hear about something that’s happening on Twitter if it makes it to Instagram or if it gets sent to me by one of the five people that I follow.
What’s been your favorite memory of filming Season 2 so far?
Gosh, every day. I have yet to work with a company and crew of actors that is firing on all cylinders in the way ours is. I’m so impressed with the people I’m surrounded by. Every day on set is really a joy. The scenes that are coming and the scenes that have already happened between Jacob and Janine were really fun for me in particular. Quinta is an extraordinary actor and an incredible scene partner. I really love that she and the writers’ room have given permission for this friendship to expand and unfold.
Second on this list is the group scenes where all of us are together, and the camera is whipping around at the speed of fun. That’s where our show is really in its element. As somebody who comes from the theater, that’s where our ensemble gets to do what we really do best, which is listen and ping-pong off of each other.
Which actor is most similar to their Abbott Elementary character?
That’s tough, because we’re all so different from these people. If I had to pick, I’d probably say Sheryl. Sheryl is very protective of us and all of the people in her life. She just exudes a generosity that demands respect and attention. That’s also how people see Barbara.
Obviously everyone’s been loving the slow burn between Janine and Gregory. What’s it been like to watch that romance play out while filming?
Typically, the experience of watching myself on camera is moderately torturous. But I really enjoy watching Abbott because we don’t get any coverage of anything. I have no idea what it’s going to look like until I see it. I’m so excited to see which pieces they’ve chosen, which jokes and which looks made it into the episode, just how the story has been told that week.
A lot of the stuff between Gregory and Janine I haven’t seen until you’ve seen it. The nature of it is a lot of subtle, private moments that will be made public. I’m biting my fingernails just like everybody else is.
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