People
Lisa Ann Walter Clears Up Why Bette Midler Wasn’t Cast as Her Mom on Abbott Elementary After Public Pleas
By Liza Esquibias
December 5, 2024
Lisa Ann Walter is answering fans’ burning question about the Abbott Elementary Thanksgiving episode.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Walter addressed why Bette Midler didn’t play her mother on the ABC sitcom after the actress asked for the role on her social media in earlier this year. The comedian, 61, revealed that logistics got in the way, leading to Talia Shire being cast instead.
“There had been so much discussion around it because of the whole thing with Bette Midler,” she began. “And when it wasn’t going to work out because of scheduling, they said they were talking about a couple of people and Talia was one of them.”
Walter recalled getting emotional at the thought of working with Shire, saying, “Literally, tears burst into my eyes. Isn’t that bizarre? Quinta [Brunson] said, ‘We’re talking to Talia Shire,’ and tears burst out of my eyes. I said, ‘I don’t know why I did that. I feel ridiculous. But she’s royalty,’ and Quinta just said, ‘She is.’”
Growing up, Walter said she and her family would watch The Wizard of Oz on Thanksgiving, and later, The Godfather, in which Shire starred as Connie Corleone.
“When my mother was alive, we would put The Godfather on the way we watch A Christmas Story at Christmas, just 24 hours of it,” Walter shared. “And I know that for Philly people, obviously, it’s the Rocky connection, but for my household, it was always The Godfather and just the evolution of her acting over the years and how we always saw her as being kind of this little meek young woman and then she becomes powerful, I think it’s such a beautiful acting trajectory that she’s had in her career and she’s lovely to work with.”
In April, Midler, 79, joked on X (formerly Twitter) about wanting to join The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when she took the opportunity to name more parts she hoped to get.
“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,” Midler wrote on her since-deleted account, adding: “If you see Quinta Brunson, please tell her.”
Midler has worked with Abbott Elementary stars in the past and opened up about her friendship with Sheryl Lee Ralph, who plays kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard in the series, in July. The pair filmed the recent film The Fabulous Four together and “really bonded” over their roots in performing for a live audience, Midler told PEOPLE at the time.
“We both come from the stage. I’ve been a fan of hers for a long, long time, ever since Dreamgirls,” Midler said, referring to Ralph’s turn as Deena Jones in the original 1981 production of the Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen musical about the breakup of a 1960s girl group.
Ralph also appeared in shows Thoroughly Modern Millie and Wicked.
Season 4 of Abbott Elementary premieres Wednesday, Jan. 8, moving to an 8:30 p.m. time slot and streaming the next day on Hulu.
Not convinced LOL