Abbott Elementary Season 5 cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the ABC sitcom

ABC's popular sitcom, Abbott Elementary Season 5, premiered on October 1, 2025, and has brought back the beloved characters. The show follows the mockumentary format to depict the story of the lives of the teachers at an underfunded school, Willard R. Abbott Elementary School.

Season 5 of the award-winning series will bring more stories about how the teachers manage to work in the Elementary school while also taking care of their students. Season 5 will also include an episode that was filmed during the Philadelphia Phillies baseball game. Quinta Bronson, the creator of the show, has returned to play her character Janine Teagues, with many of her colleagues returning for the season.

Here's a look at the cast and character guide of Abbott Elementary Season 5.

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Abbott Elementary Season 5 cast and character guide

While the primary cast will be returning to the series, several new faces will also join Abbott Elementary Season 5 and create new challenges for the school and its teachers.

The cast and character guide of Abbott Elementary Season 5 are as follows:

1) Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues

Brunson plays Janine in the ABC sitcom. She is a second-grade teacher, and can be seen trying to find new ways to make her students' lives better and address the issues that arise due to the underfunding.

The award-winning writer and actress has also appeared in TV shows such as New Girl, iZombie, and Miracle Workers, and others.

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2) Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard

Ralph's character Barbara, is among the senior-most teachers in the school. She is described as a religious person, but it never affects her professional relationships. After taking the music class as a substitute teacher, she is seen taking the class full-time in Abbot Elementary Season 5.

The American actress has appeared in numerous shows such as ER, It's a Living, Hannah Montana, and Criminal Minds, among many others.

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3) Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie

Tyler James Williams' character, Gregory, joined in Season 1 as a substitute teacher and has now become a part of the family and also got a full-time position in the school. He befriended Janine in Season, and now the duo are finally dating in the series. Their relationship began in Season 4.

Williams is known for being part of popular shows such as The Walking Dead, where he played Noah, and later also appeared in Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.

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4) Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill

Pefetti's Jacob is the eighth-grade history teacher at Abbot Elementary. He is known for his awkwardness and often pessimistic behavior, but he still supports Janine in all of her plans to make their school better.

The American actor has been a part of shows such as The Resident, Gotham, Blue Bloods, and The Night Of, among several others.

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5) Janelle James as Ava Coleman

Janelle James will also be reprising her character, Ava, in Abbott Elementary Season 5. Most of the challenges faced by Janine and the school are due to the chaotic and tone-deaf principal, who is none other than Ava.

The multitalented actress has previously appeared in shows such as Black Monday and lent her voice in shows such as Central Park and Star Trek: Lower Decks.

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6) William Stanford Davis as Mr. Johnson

Stanford Davis's Mr. Johnson is the Janitor of the school. He might appear lazy sometimes, but other times, he even showcases his talented side, and also causes problems with the teachers as he indulges in sharing conspiracy theories with the students sometimes.

The veteran actor has been part of numerous popular TV shows, which include Snowpiercer, Chicago Med, Shameless, and Ray Donovan.

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7) Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti

Walter's character, Melissa, is introduced as a second-grade teacher. Due to her Italian-American family background, she is revealed to have connections that might seem unethical, but she often uses them for the benefit of Abbott Elementary. In Abbott Elementary Season 5, Melissa is promoted to sixth-grade mathematics teacher.

The comedian and actress has appeared in shows such as 9-1-1, Grey's Anatomy, Breaking News, and GLOW.

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Supporting cast and character guide of Abbott Elementary Season 5

The supporting cast and character guide of Abbott Elementary Season 5 are as follows:

• Jerry Minor as Joseph Morton
• Luke Tennie as Dominic Clark
• Taylor Garron as Tasha Hoffman
• George Sharperson as Wendell
• Mikey Day as Craig
• Zack Fox as Tariq Temple
• Jaboukie Young-White as Elijah
• Matthew Law as O'Shon

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