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Quinta Brunson says it was 'tough' when Black women took issue with her Abbott Elementary character: 'I understand it'

'Abbott Elementary' star and creator Quinta Brunson says it was 'tough' when Black women criticized her character, Janine: 'I wasn’t really thinking about representation, but she became representation.'

During a visit to friend Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, the Abbott Elementary star and creator opened up about the difficulty of taking in critiques about the show, especially when it comes to her own character. Poehler, who spent 7 seasons as the lead of Parks and Recreation, weighed in as well, pointing out that imperfect characters are often an issue for audiences when it comes to comedies. "I have had people come up to me on the streets and go, 'I don't like what you're doing with Gregory's character,'" Brunson said, reenacting her response of shocked silence.

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