Selome Hailu School is back in session at “Abbott Elementary,” this time with high-profile guest stars such Leslie Odom Jr.
and … Gritty, the famous mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers. The fuzzy orange hockey supporter plays himself in the Season 2 premiere, titled “Development Day.” Janine, the second grade teacher played by series creator and recent Emmy winner Quinta Brunson, invites Gritty to Abbott Elementary to surprise the students on their first day of school, though things inevitably go wrong. “Gritty, to me, is such a beautiful representation of Philadelphia,” Brunson says in a behind-the-scenes video Variety can exclusively unveil. “The way he is joyful, the way he looks, the way he feels, the way he is.” Adds Sheryl Lee Ralph, who also just won an Emmy for her “Abbott Elementary” work: “There are a lot of people who might be iconic in Philadelphia.
There are a lot of people that might be loved in Philadelphia. None of them come close to the love and admiration that is given to Gritty.” Over email, Gritty took some time to give Variety an exclusive interview about his time on the ABC sitcom. Are you an “Abbott Elementary” fan?
Did Quinta Brunson approach you as a guest star, or did you ask to be in the show yourself? When you’ve reached the level of fame and success that Quinta and I have, you have people for that.
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