Abbott Elementary is one of the most beloved TV shows of the past few years, with Quinta Brunson and Co. raking in award nominations and critical praise since its 2021 premiere. It’s no secret, then, why everyone from Hannah Waddingham to Christina Ricci to Ramy Youssef has expressed interest in appearing on the mockumentary-style sitcom. Most recently, Bette Midler has thrown her hat in the ring for a specific role on Abbott Elementary, and who do I need to talk to to make this perfection happen?
Bette Midler, star of stage and screen, has summoned the gods of social media to help her achieve this dream casting role, pitching herself for the role of someone close to Lisa Ann Walter’s character. Midler wrote on X (Twitter):
Since I'm now using this website to pitch myself on TV shows, I would also like to play Melissa Schemmenti's mother on Abbott Elementary. If you see Quinta Brunson, please tell her.
You heard her, somebody tell Quinta Brunson immediately! Anybody who’s seen Abbott Elementary knows it would take a pretty special kind of gal to raise a woman like Melissa Schemmenti, and Bette Midler fits the bill in every way.
First, there’s enough physical resemblance between the two that I would totally buy them as mother and daughter. Also, I’m not sure what kind of relationship Melissa and her mother have (the fact that in the third season she hasn’t made notable mention of her might be an indication), but if there were ever two actresses worthy of pulling off the presumably complicated family dynamics of these two New York Italian Schemmentis, I’d put my money on Lisa Ann Walter and Bette Midler.
Abbott Elementary has already cracked the door on Melissa’s family life, with Lauren Weedman guest-starring as her sister Kristin Marie, a teacher at a rival school, and Mrs. Schemmenti wouldn’t even be the first of the main characters’ mothers we meet.
In Season 2, Taraji P. Henson made an appearance as Vanetta, the mother of Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues, and she even received an Emmy nomination for the guest role. It’s not hard at all to imagine that Bette Midler would be capable of a performance that produced similar accolades.
The series has featured some amazing celebrity cameos in its run so far, and not all in fictional roles. NBA star Andre Iguodala guest-starred as the boyfriend of school principal Ava Coleman (Janelle James), and the Season 3 premiere saw appearances from Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham of the Philadelphia Eagles. Bradley Cooper also appeared as himself, and we’re looking forward to even more fun guest stars to come when Season 3 returns to ABC at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, May 1.
Only time will tell if Quinta Brunson will jump at the chance to accept Bette Midler’s offer to play Melissa Schemmenti’s mom, but we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed. In the meantime, you can watch every episode of Abbott Elementary on streaming with a Hulu subscription, and be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.
