Abbott Elementary is preparing to welcome some fresh faces in the new school year.
On Monday, Deadline reported that The Other Two and Scream VI star Josh Segarra, Hacks alum Kimia Behpoornia and Never Have I Ever’s Benjamin Norris will all join the beloved ABC sitcom in recurring roles in the upcoming third season.
The news was quickly confirmed by series creator and star Quinta Brunson, who shared a screenshot of the article on her Instagram Story using Joe Budden’s song, “Pump It Up.”
@Quintab on Instagram
Additionally, Norris’ former boss, comedian, writer and actress Mindy Kaling expressed her excitement at his new role in an Instagram Story of her own, congratulating the actor and heralding the casting news.
“omfg the dream combination @quintab @benanorris CANNOT WAIT !! @abbottelemabc,” The Mindy Project creator, 44, wrote.
@MindyKaling
According to the outlet, Segarra will portray Manny, Behpoornia will portray Emily and Norris will play Simon — three “good-natured” school district representatives who take pride in their jobs and strive to freshen up the old ways of schooling.
Segarra is coming off a hot year between the end of MAX’s The Other Two and his starring role in Apple TV+’s The Big Door Prize, as well as his role in Scream VI alongside Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega.
For her part, Behpoornia recently wrapped production on Freeform’s Good Trouble and previously appeared in Hulu’s short-lived meta-comedy Reboot starring Keegan Michael-Key, Rebecca Bloom, Judy Greer and Paul Reiser.
Norris — who played the lovable but dense Trent in Never Have I Ever — ended his 2023 by lending his voice to Academy, a Wondery podcast series. He previously had roles in Paramount+’s iCarly reboot and NBC’s Superstore.
At the Golden Globes in early January, series stars Chris Perfetti and recent Celebrity Jeopardy! champion Lisa Ann Walter talked with ET about season 3 having “so many great characters.”
“I will tell you this, the premiere episode of season 3 is so chock full of new, exciting stuff that you are not expecting that,” Walter, 60, teased. “I can’t even, we’re not allowed to say it obviously. But all I can say is stay tuned. It’s a lot.”
“People change,” Perfetti, 35, added, reassuring that “we’re not gonna change that much.”
Gilles Mingasson/ABC via Getty Images
The ABC sitcom is set to return on Feb. 7 after months-long delays due to the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, both unions of which Brunson is a member.
You can watch a teaser trailer for season 3 in the player below:
For more Abbott Elementary season 3 news, check out the headlines below.
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