All Abbott Elementary Cameos & Guest Stars In Every Season

Quinta Brunson seemingly has a lot of pull in Hollywood, given that so many celebrities have made cameos or guest-starred in Abbott Elementary over the course of its three seasons. The ABC mockumentary sitcom, created by Brunson, follows the lives of the teachers at Willard R. Abbott Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Abbott Elementary has arguably helped revive the mockumentary trope and has been a massive success for ABC. Its achievements can be attributed to its hilarious and talented cast (including the various A-list celebrity cameos and renowned guest stars).

A cameo in
Abbott Elementary
is when a celebrity plays themselves, and a guest star is a major actor in a small role in the sitcom.

The main cast of Abbott Elementary also includes impressive and noteworthy stars. Tyler James Williams is famous for his role as Chris Rock in the CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris; Lisa Ann Walter is recognized for playing Chessy in the iconic 1990s rom-comThe Parent Trap; and, of course, Sheryl Lee Ralph is a Tony-nominated actress best known for originating the role of Deena Jones in the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls​​​​​​. As anyone could deduce, the Abbott Elementary cast is already stacked. However, that’s not stopping Brunson from persuading other major stars to appear in the sitcom.

16 Orlando Jones

Season 1, Episode 8 & Season 2, Episode 12

Abbott Elementary‘s first major guest star was Orlando Jones, who stars as Martin Eddie, Gregory’s father. Jones is a talented actor and stand-up comedian most known for being one of MADtv‘s original cast members in the 1990s. However, many will recognize Jones from his roles in movies such as The Replacements, Evolution, Drumline, and The Time Machine. Most recently, Jones starred as Mr. Nancy in American Gods on Starz, and he is set to appear in the upcoming spinoff of The Family Business, The Family Business: New Orleans, on BET+.

In the TV show Abbott Elementary, Jones’ Martin is Gregory’s father who does not support his teaching career. Martin owns a landscaping business and is always trying to persuade Gregory to quit Abbott and join him in the world of landscaping. Although Gregory is a natural when it comes to gardening and landscaping, he consistently turns his father down. Jones only appears via a video call in Abbott Elementary season 1, episode 8, but he physically comes to the school in season 2, episode 12.

15 Gritty

Season 2, Episode 1

While Orlando Jones was the ABC mockumentary sitcom’s first noteworthy guest star, Gritty was Abbott Elementary‘s first cameo. Gritty is the beloved mascot for the Flyers, Philadelphia’s hockey team. The furry orange creature appears during the Abbott Elementary season 2 premiere when Janine invites him to her first day of school celebration, and to no one’s surprise (well, maybe Gregory’s), Gritty is a hit. Even Gregory, who is skeptical of Gritty at first, warms up to the Flyers mascot by the episode’s end.

14 Leslie Odom Jr.

Season 2, Episodes 7 & 19

Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. guest stars as Draemond Winding in two episodes of Abbott Elementary season 2. The renowned actor is best known for his role as Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s triumphant Broadway musical Hamilton, a performance that earned Odom Jr. a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Since then, Odom Jr. has made appearances in One Night in Miami… (which earned him an Oscar nod), Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and The Exorcist: Believer.

Draemond is sort of a villain in the ABC series as he wants to turn Abbott into a charter school.

As for his time in Abbott Elementary season 2, Odom Jr.’s Draemond is the owner of Legendary Charters and Barbara’s former student. Draemond is sort of a villain in the ABC series as he wants to turn Abbott into a charter school, meaning he consistently butts heads with the main characters. However, Draemond’s plan ultimately fails when the students’ parents turn on him.

13 Ayo Edebiri

Season 2, Episodes 14 & 18

Ayo Edebiri’s TV star status grows with each passing year. Consequently, Quinta Brunson was smart to cast her to play Janine’s sister, Ayesha, in Abbott Elementary when she did. Edebiri, who is most known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Sydney Adamu in The Bear, first appears as Ayesha during season 2, episode 14, when Janine FaceTimes her.

Aside from starring in the critically acclaimed series
The Bear
, Ayo Edebiri is also a writer and voice actor. She voices Missy in
Big Mouth
and serves as a consulting producer on the Netflix show, and more recently, Edebiri voices Envy in
Inside Out 2
.

Then, in episode 18, Ayesha flies from Denver to Philadelphia to visit her sister. During the episode, it becomes quite clear why Janine and Ayesha aren’t very close as they disagree about how to treat their mother. Thankfully, by the end, Janine and Ayesha come to an understanding and leave on good terms. Hopefully, this isn’t the last viewers have seen of Edebiri in Abbott Elementary​​​​​​.

12 Mike O’Malley

Season 2, Episode 15 & Season 3, Episodes 4 & 8

Mike O’Malley has guest starred in numerous sitcoms and other shows over the years, including Abbott Elementary. Some of his noteworthy credits include Yes, Dear, Glee, The Good Place, Snowpiercer, and Heels. In the mockumentary sitcom, though, O’Malley plays Captain Robinson, a fire captain who responds to the fire at Abbott in season 2, episode 15. Melissa and Robinson flirt a little bit, but since she is with Gary at the time, nothing happens. Flash forward to season 3, the audience and Barbara are shocked to learn Melissa and Robinson are hooking up,an Abbott Elementary subplot that took place offscreen.

11 Taraji P. Henson

Season 2, Episode 21 & Season 3, Episode 12

Taraji P. Henson stars as Janine’s absentee and irresponsible mother, Vanetta, in Abbott Elementary. Janine has always had to act as the parent in their relationship, a dynamic that is demonstrated in season 2, episode 21 when Vanetta visits Janine at Abbott and asks her for money. Henson returns in Abbott Elementary season 3 via a phone call when Janine asks her mother who her father is (and if it’s possibly Kevin Hart).

Henson is an award-winning renowned actress recognized for her roles as Shug in Hustle & Flow, Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which earned her an Oscar nomination), Katherine Johnson in Hidden Figures, and Cookie Lyon in the Fox drama Empire. Over the course of her career, Henson has received various awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe for her performance in Empire​​​​​​. Hopefully, Henson will reprise her role as Janine’s mother alongside Ay Edebiri’s Ayesha in a future Abbott Elementary episode.

10 Josh Segarra

Season 3, Episodes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, & 14

Josh Segarra has appeared in the most Abbott Elementary episodes (eight) of the stars on this list, which makes sense given his role. Segarra portrays Manny, a character who works at the school district alongside Janine in season 3. There was potential for a possible romance between Manny and Janine. However, one other Abbott Elementary couple (Janine and Gregory) got in their way during the finale. Aside from the ABC sitcom, Segarra has played many significant roles in TV shows and movies, including the iconic Arrow villain Adrian Chase/Prometheus, Pug in She-Hulk, and Danny in Scream VI​​​​​​.

9 Jason Kelce, Jalen Hurts, & Brandon Graham

Season 3, Episode 2

Days before Super Bowl LVIII, three football players from the Philadelphia Eagles (who didn’t play in the big game), made cameos during the Abbott Elementary season 3 premiere — Jason Kelce, Jalen Hurts, and Brandon Graham. The three appear via Zoom during career day at Abbott. Hurts helps Gary with his marriage proposal to Melissa (before Kelce and Graham walk in on him). Unfortunately, she awkwardly turns him down, which results in a few humorous moments including the Eagles players.

8 Sabrina Brier

Season 3, Episode 4

Sabrina Brier, an online personality, plays a substitute for Janine’s classroom while she is busy working at the school district in Abbott Elementary season 3, episode 4. Unfortunately, her time at Abbott doesn’t last long. However, it’s a treat just to watch Brier’s character, Jessca (no, that is not a typo for Jessica), on the small screen. Brier got her start on TikTok, where she posts various skits featuring her playing original characters. Now, she’s taking her skills to Hollywood.

7 Bradley Cooper

Season 3, Episode 6

Directly following the 2024 Oscars, Bradley Cooper, who was nominated for Best Actor but lost to Cillian Murphy, made a cameo in Abbott Elementary. And unlike some of the other A-listers on this list, Cooper’s cameo was in person. Season 3, episode 6, begins with Melissa’s classroom participating in show and tell. One of her students says he brought a celebrity he met outside and in walks Cooper.

The actor is from Philadelphia in real life, so, in the show, he’s just visiting his hometown. Of course, all the teachers swarm to Melissa’s classroom. While there, the characters fawn over Cooper, Cooper does his Rocket Raccoon voice, the teachers take a picture with him, and Barbara mistakenly says she loved Cooper in The Holdovers​​​​​​.

6 Cree Summer

Season 3, Episodes 7 & 11

Some might not recognize Cree Summer at first glance, but many will recognize her voice. Summer, who stars as Abbott’s librarian, Ms. Rosalyn Inez, in Abbott Elementary season 3, is a well-known voice actor. Some of her characters include Susie Carmichael in Rugrats, Elmyra Duff in Tiny Toon Adventures, and Cleo in Clifford the Big Red Dog​​​​​​. As for live-action TV, Summer also starred as Winifred “Freddie” Brooks in the NBC sitcom A Different World​​​​​​.

5 Keegan-Michael Key

Season 3, Episodes 8, 9, & 10

Keegan-Michael Key portrays the new Philadelphia School District superintendent, John Reynolds, in a handful of episodes in Abbott Elementary season 3. Outside the NBC mockumentary sitcom, many will know Key from the sketch series Key & Peele on Comedy Central. However, Key has also appeared in various notable films and TV shows, including Mad TV, Friends From College, Toy Story 4, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Key’s next role is voicing Bumblebee in the cast of Transformers One, which premieres on September 20, 2024.

4 Tatyana Ali

Season 3, Episodes 8 & 13

Tatyana Ali is best known for her role as Ashley Banks in Will Smith’s NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but in the world of Abbott Elementary, she is Krystal. Krystal is Ava’s former sorority sister and the principal of another school in Philadelphia. As a result, Krystal and Ava’s relationship is quite competitive, as proven in episodes 8 and 13 of Abbott Elementary season 3. Fans likely haven’t seen the last of this rivalry in the ABC mockumentary series.

3 Questlove

Season 3, Episode 10

After Ava promised everyone that Jazmine Sullivan was coming to Ava Fest in season 2 (and she never came), the Abbott Elementary characters don’t believe her when she says Questlove will perform at Ava Fest 2 in season 3. However, Questlove eventually arrives, proving everyone wrong. Apparently, Ava was one of the founders of the Roots (Questlove’s band), and the famous drummer/record producer corroborates her story in Abbott Elementary season 3, episode 10. Aside from the Roots, Questlove has worked as a producer for many artists, including John Legend, Jay-Z, Elvis Costello, and Common.

2 Lana Candor

Season 3, Episodes 11 & 14

Lana Candor, best known for her role as Lara Jean Covey in Netflix’s To All the Boys film series, appears during Abbott Elementary season 3, episodes 11 and 14. The man that Jacob is seeing, Avi, brings Candor’s character, Olivia, along with him on a double date with Jacob and Gregory at a bar in episode 11. However, things go sideways when Gregory notices Janine at the bar with Manny, he freaks out and ruins the date.

Even though things don’t work out between Gregory and Olivia, Candor reprises her role during the Abbott Elementary season 3 finale. Olivia attends Janine’s end-of-the-school-year party at her apartment. However, Olivia’s appearance causes some doubt for Janine about where she stands with Gregory. Thankfully, everything works out in the end, and the episode concludes with Janine and Gregory kissing.

1 Kevin Hart

Season 3, Episode 12

Throughout Abbott Elementary season 3, episode 12, Janine obsesses over the revelation that Kevin Hart might be her father. Quinta Brunson’s character learns that her mother went to school with Hart. When Janine calls Vanetta, she reinforces the theory by nonchalantly mentioning that she had sex with Hart. So, Melissa convinces her hairdresser friend who Hart sees to steal a piece of his hair. A DNA test is arranged, but it turns out that Hart isn’t Janine’s father. However, Hart still makes a cameo in the Abbott Elementary episode when he FaceTimes Janine to tell her to stop messaging him.