Talia Shire, Not Bette Midler, Cast On Abbott Elementary

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Entertainment Weekly
Talia Shire cast as Melissa Schemmenti’s mother on Abbott Elementary after Bette Midler pleaded for role
By Jessica Wang
November 21, 2024

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Talia Shire was cast as Melissa Schemmenti’s mother on Abbott Elementary after Bette Midler pleaded for role. The “Godfather” and “Rocky” star will appear in an upcoming holiday special.

Talia Shire will appear as a guest star on the upcoming holiday special of Abbott Elementary. Aptly, the Italian-American actress known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and Adrian Pennino in the Rocky films will play the mother of Melissa Schemmenti, Lisa Ann Walter’s no-nonsense Italian educator.

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The episode “Winter Break” on Dec. 4 will follow Melissa as she hosts the Schemmenti family for a Christmas Eve dinner. She’ll go to great lengths to make sure everything is perfect. The episode will air as part of a one-hour special featuring two back-to-back episodes — and ABC even gifted a first look photo of Shire and Walter.

Notably, Bette Midler previously lobbied for the very role. She took to social media earlier this year to make the plea to series creator and star Quinta Brunson. “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,” she wrote. “If you see Quinta Brunson, please tell her.”

In response, Brunson told Entertainment Tonight that she was “so honored” by Midler’s request. “It’s one of those surreal pinch me moments that the Bette Midler wants to be on the show.” Added Walter, “I mean, it would be a dream come true,” but “I’m not in charge of that department.”

Who else has been tapped to round out the rest of the expansive Schemmenti clan is unclear. Still, audiences have already been introduced to Melissa’s younger sister Kristin Marie, played by Lauren Weedman, a teacher at a rival school.

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Other notable guest stars have included Taraji P. Henson as Brunson’s onscreen mother Vanetta and Ayo Edebiri as Brunson’s sister Ayesha.

Brunson promised great guest stars on the current season 4 on the 2024 Emmy red carpet earlier this year, where the show picked up nine nominations. Brunson and co. are also gearing up for a It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover episode, set to air in January.

“I was very inspired by watching a lot of shows over the pandemic,” Brunson said on Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show last month of how the idea was conceived. “I was binging Family Matters and Full House and stuff like that, and I was shocked when Steve Urkel showed up on the Full House set. I was screaming at my TV.”