The award-winning actress guest stars on the ABC sitcom as Janine Teague's mom, Vanetta.
Say hi to Auntie Vanetta, kids! Taraji P. Henson will make her Abbott Elementary debut on Wednesday, April 12, and finally, put a face to Janine Teague (Quinta Brunson)'s mommy issues.
In a preview clip of next week's episode, Janine is talking to her class when the distinct sound of familiar high heels draws her attention. As the steps get closer, her panic seems to rise until her student points to the seemingly dreaded appearance of her mother at her class' doorway.
"I hope y'all know y'all have the greatest teacher in the world," Vanetta tells Janine's class, whom she refers to as "my baby's babies." "You wanna know how I know? Because she learned from the best! Me."
When Janine asks her mother what she's doing there, Vanetta tells her that she "grew worried" when Janine didn't answer her call, so she came to "check up on you." But Janine notes that the pair haven't "spoken in like six months," so obviously this visit isn't planned. Or welcomed.
And when Janine asks her mother how she got into the school without a visitor's badge, she pithily replies that "VIPs don't need badges, baby. We need refreshments. I'm thirsty!"
The ABC sitcom announced Henson would guest star on the season's penultimate episode -- aptly titled "Mom" -- during the show's Saturday panel at the Paley Center for Media's annual PaleyFest L.A. event.
The Abbott Elementary social media accounts later confirmed the casting news by sharing a behind-the-scenes photo of Henson and Brunson on set.
Henson is the latest of the Teague family to make her appearance -- The Bear's Ayo Edebiri previously appeared on the ABC sitcom as Janine's sister, Ayesha. Janine's previous insights into her family and her sister's visit all point to some tension between the sisters and their mother, although specifics haven't been given yet.
While Henson will only star in one episode of season 2, there's still hope she could make an appearance in the previously announced third season. The series has been on an award-winning kick and recently won big at the 2023 SAG Awards, winning Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series -- the first network comedy to do so since Modern Family in 2013.
Abbott Elementary's "Mom" airs at 9 p.m. ET on April 12.
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