Actress Quinta Brunson did something that hasn’t been done in over 40 years when she was named the Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy series, writes Dana Rose Falcone and Stephanie Wenger for People. 

The West Philadelphia native won the award for her role as Janine Teagues in the hit ABC show, Abbott Elementary. 

“Thank you so much I love making Abbott Elementary so much and I am so happy to be able to live my dream and act out comedy, and I say it every time and I just love comedy so much that I am so happy to be able to get this,” said Brunson as she accepted her award.

She is only the second Black woman to take home this particular award, and the first since Isabel Sanford won it for her role as Louise Jefferson on the long-running show, The Jeffersons, in 1981. 

Brunson beat out nominees Christina Applegate, Rachel Brosnahan, Natasha Lyonne, and Jenna Ortega for the win.

This is Brunson’s second Emmy award.

In 2022, she won her first Emmy for Oustanding Writing For a Comedy Series, also for Abbott Elementary. 

Read more about Quinta Brunson’s historic Emmy win and more history made at the 75th Emmy Awards at People.

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