Sheryl Lee Ralph on the ‘Abbott Elementary’ Character She Originally Wanted to Play, and the Director’s Note That Led Her to an Emmy

Abbott Elementary is ruling the airwaves!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” has promoted Matt Lappin to serve as co-executive producer of the late night show. In his new role, Lappin will help oversee the show’s daily creative direction; his promotion was announced on Tuesday by executive producers Stephen Colbert and Tom Purcell. Lappin was most recently senior supervising producer. As co-executive producer, he’ll be part of a team that also includes co-EPs Denise Rehrig and Tanya Michenvich Bracco. Together, they’re all helping Colbert and Purcell run the ship in the absence of former executive producer Chris Licht, who departed “The Late Show” earlier this year to take over CNN as its CEO.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “The Rescue” filmmakers and Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin are among the presenters set to appear at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ 43rd Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards.  The news ceremony will take place on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET and the documentary ceremony takes place Thursday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET, both at the Palladium Times Square in New York City. Presenters set to appear at the news ceremony include Linsey Davis (ABC News), Margaret Brennan (CBS News), Omar Jimenez (CNN), Morgan Radford (NBC News), Julio Vaqueiro (Noticias Telemundo), Teresa Rodrigues (Univision) and Paola Ramos (Vice News).

It’s been years since a network TV comedy took off like ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” a show that felt both familiar and fresh at the same time. Sure, it has a structure that recalls hit network shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” but it also has rich characters that feel almost instantly like people we know, brought to life by an ace ensemble.

 kicks off its sophomore season on Wednesday, and no one is more excited for the new chapter more than the award-winning cast.ET caught up with star and creator Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, William Stanford Davis and Sheryl Lee Ralph, to dive into what fans can expect in the upcoming season. According to the cast, season 2 goes deeper.Brunson previously revealed that fans will see a new side of their favorite onscreen characters as the show ventures beyond the elementary school and into their homes.

A royal connection. Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph revealed an interesting link to the late Queen Elizabeth II from her past.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As “Dancing With the Stars” moves from ABC to Disney+ on Monday, viewers will notice several major changes to the competition series as it makes a historic switch to streaming for Season 31 — most notably, there will be a lot more show than they’re used to. That’s because Disney+ is commercial-free, which means producers have to fill all two hours without any time-outs. “Job one, the first thing, is that there are no longer ad breaks,” says executive producer Conrad Green. “And a lot of other decisions spun out from that. We’ve got up to two hours on the nose to fill, rather than a commercial version of two hours. And that’s almost a third more material that you’ve got to find for the show.”

(CNN)Jackée Harry was just one of the people who celebrated Sheryl Lee Ralph's first-ever Emmy win on Monday.But the "227" star added a bit of context about Ralph, who won for her role on the comedy series "Abbott Elementary," which made it even more celebratory.Harry tweeted a photo of herself with the Emmy she won in 1987."Winning my Emmy was a career highlight, but it was also a lonely experience," Harry wrote. "For 35 years I've been the only black woman to win Outstanding Supporting Actresses in a Comedy Series.

lying on the ground …If there's one thing Oprah is known for—and, okay, she's known for many things—it's how to give a Gift with a capital G. We all remember the “you get a car” meme. Now, the greatest talk show host of all time is showing her admiration for first-time Emmy award-winner . In a TikTok posted by Ralph's son Etienne Maurice, the star receives a giant bouquet of pink and white flowers from Oprah herself.

Quinta Brunson’s voice is hoarse. The days of pre-award festivities leading up to the Sept. 12 ceremony were frantic, starting with Variety’s Showrunners Dinner (where she swapped war stories with fellow TV creators like Dan Harmon, Danny Strong and Liz Meriwether). Then came the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, the Governors Gala and Disney’s post-Emmy celebration, which spilled into the next day. Something had to give. Yet when the “Abbott Elementary” creator and star sits down for an in-depth interview with Variety, her creative voice is clear and strong.

The brand new trailer for Abbott Elementary‘s upcoming season two is out!

she became the second Black actress to win the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, 35 years after Jackée Harry became the first to do so in 1987. Harry, who won the Emmy for playing Sandra on the NBC comedy series celebrated Ralph's Emmy win with a touching Instagram post where she detailed the  star's monumental moment. «Winning my Emmy was a career highlight, but it was also a lonely experience. For 35 years I’ve been the only black woman to win Outstanding Supporting Actresses in a Comedy Series.

Musical appreciation. After winning her first Emmy, Sheryl Lee Ralph broke into song to celebrate the big moment.

stole the show.Taking home the gold for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, “Abbott Elementary” breakout star Sheryl Lee Ralph, 65, celebrated her first Emmys win with a powerful song of self-praise.“I am an endangered species. I am a woman. I am an artist.

co-star, Janelle James, as well as Alex Borstein (Hannah Einbinder (Kate McKinnon (and 's Sarah NilesJuno Temple andHannah Waddingham.Ralph serenaded the crowd while accepting her award — her first Primetime Emmy Award in a career spanning over five decades — onstage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles during the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards. Singing Dianne Reeves' «Endangered Species,» Ralph delivered a statement with her song before motivating the audience with a beautiful speech filled with hope and gratitude.«To anyone that has ever, ever had a dream and though your dream, wasn't, wouldn't, couldn't, come true, I am here to tell you that is what believing looks like,» Ralph said, beginning her impassioned acceptance speech.

Sheryl Lee Ralph is now an Emmy winner! The comedian won in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category, beating out her “Abbott Elementary” co-star, Janelle James, as well as Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”), Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”), and “Ted Lasso‘”s Sarah Niles, Juno Temple andHannah Waddingham.

#Emmys history. #AbbottElementary pic.twitter.com/IvNdXQx94oRalph, who won the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Emmy for her role as kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard on the hit ABC series, then delivered a moving speech that had the audience on its feet.

co-star, Janelle James, as well as Alex Borstein (Hannah Einbinder (Kate McKinnon (and 's Sarah NilesJuno Temple andHannah Waddingham.Ralph serenaded the crowd while accepting her award — her first Primetime Emmy Award in a career spanning over five decades — onstage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles during the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards. Singing Dianne Reeves' «Endangered Species,» Ralph delivered a statement with her song before motivating the audience with a beautiful speech filled with hope and gratitude.«To anyone that has ever, ever had a dream and though your dream, wasn't, wouldn't, couldn't, come true, I am here to tell you that is what believing looks like,» Ralph said, beginning her impassioned acceptance speech.

to the Emmys! Quinta Brunson is making her red carpet debut at the 2022 Emmy Awards. The 32-year-old star and creator of ABC's hit new series celebrated her comedy's breakout success by attending the annual awards show on Monday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Brunson strutted down the annual awards show's red carpet in a stunning bronze gown, custom designed by Dolce & Gabbana.