NEED TO KNOW
-
Quinta Brunson reveals which iconic actress had a huge impact on her career path
-
The actress received the Mary Tyler Moore Visionary Award at Variety’s FYC TV Fest on May 6
-
Abbott Elementary is an Emmy-winning sitcom created by Brunson that debuted in 2021
Quinta Brunson is paying tribute to the 1970s actress who inspired her to star in her own sitcom.
On Wednesday, May 6, the Abbott Elementary creator, 36, received the Mary Tyler Moore Visionary Award at Variety’s FYC TV Fest in West Hollywood, and opened up to the outlet about what it meant to see another woman accomplishing her dreams at a young age.
“That show went platinum in my household,” Brunson told the publication ahead of the event.
Mary Tyler Moore in 1971
Credit: Max B. Miller/Fotos International/Getty
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show was supremely important to me,” she continued. “As a kid, I wasn’t necessarily looking for representation or anything other than, ‘This is a really funny show.’ And that theme song is second nature to me!”
In addition to being a television and movie star, Moore, who died in January 2017 at the age of 80, was also an advocate for redefining how women were seen in the entertainment industry.
Moore was also known for breaking gender norms, becoming the first woman to wear pants on television in 1961.
For Brunson, she never forgot seeing Moore for the very first time on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
“She gave me this understanding of how the business could work — that you could be a featured player on one show and then a lead on your own show,” Brunson said.
In December 2021, Brunson’s own sitcom, Abbott Elementary, debuted on ABC. It sees Brunson as Philadelphia second-grade teacher Janine Teagues.
Five seasons later, the Emmy-winning series is still going strong.
Quinta Brunson at Variety FYC TV Fest held at The Edition on May 6, 2026
Credit: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty
Brunson told Variety she also admired the women who came before her for having their own businesses and studios.
“I remember seeing Mary Tyler Moore on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and seeing these two incredible women in media and television just sitting there chatting it up, that was really defining for me,” she said. “It made me never question whether or not I could do this.”
In Brunson’s spare time, she rewatches past episodes of Girlfriends and The Steve Harvey Show, and as someone who loves the art of sitcoms, she’s even watching Dharma & Greg for the first time.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
As her series heads into its sixth season, Brunson knows she has a duty to fulfill with her loyal fan base, plus new viewers.
“We are in a modern TV viewing age where people do not have to watch your show,” she said. “They can watch the phone. There’s a million other things that they could be doing. So you want to make sure that at the very least, you’re surprising.”
Read the original article on People