How Becoming A Beloved 'Abbot Elementary' Janitor Changed This Actor’s Life
Mr. Johnson is a fan favorite on the show "Abbott Elementary" for very good reason.
“Trash,” he often says in the Emmy-winning network television show. As the school’s janitor and its mysterious sage, that one word holds double meaning. Yes, he keeps the halls and classrooms of the underfunded Philadelphia elementary school clean, but he also deems the things, places and ideas not worth holding onto as disposable. There’s a message in there.
William Stanford Davis, affectionately known as Stan, has been acting for 40 years. With an NAACP Image Award and over 100 credits to his name -- including "The Bold And The Beautiful," "Ray Donovan," "Sister, Sister," and many more -- the 73-year-old actor replied in an interview that he sums up his career with one word: "Blessed."
However, "Abbott Elementary," currently in its fourth season, is different from his other acting jobs. It’s the first time Davis has played a recurring main character on a television series.
He had a decent experience with his career so far, but 'Abbott' is the one that truly made a significant impact and changed his life.
Dressed in a cozy green cashmere sweater and elaborate diamond earrings, Davis presents a sharp and approachable demeanor. Engaging in conversation with Davis is reminiscent of chatting with his character. Much like Mr. Johnson, he shares only a few anecdotes from the numerous lives he's led. Among his numerous experiences, he's had the chance to chauffeur Sidney Poitier, work as a DJ for both R&B and country radio stations, sell ads at a newspaper, and cook at a truck stop.
And with every story, Davis naturally incorporates a valuable life lesson into the conversation. He realized he didn't envision spending his life cooking, driving a limousine, or working at a newspaper for the rest of his life. When he attended a performance by the Negro Ensemble Company, a group of African-American theater actors, as a young child, he knew he wanted to be an actor, and acting was the path that really mattered to him.
I didn't know how to get to acting class, but this is something I want to do. This is where I want to spend the rest of my life.
His "Abbott Elementary" character holds a lot of significance for him. Mr. Johnson represents Davis's dedication to his career. He's in the running for another NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Through "Abbott," Davis is making his dream a reality 40 years after he started his career.
The writers understand who I'm talking to, Stan, and they know how significant and amusing [Mr. Johnson] is. They're trying to feature him as much as the show will permit," he said. "It's been incredibly impressive.
Davis spoke to about his Hollywood journey, his fascination with Mr. Johnson, and career conversations with Quinta Brunson.
You've had a long and distinguished career in acting, with an impressive body of work on your resume, but this moment with "Abbott Elementary" stands out as a particularly significant achievement after four decades of dedication to your craft. How are you feeling about this moment in your career right now?
It's been an incredible journey, but nothing has had as big of an impact or changed my life like "Abbott." The show means a lot to countless people. So, when I'm out in public, people would tell me how much they love the show and how much it has meant to them. And there's no feeling quite like that.
Can you tell me a little bit about your life before the Abbott audition?
Yeah, it was tough. It was a Zoom audition and as an actor, you train yourself to kind of leave it there. When my manager told me, “You booked the job.” I’m like, “What job?” She said, “The job about the school.” Like, “What school?” And so that’s how it happened. I ended up going to wardrobe fitting. They said, the director’s on the phone, he wants to see you dance with a broom. So they bought a broom, and I danced with it. They said, “See you on the set.” And that was it.
That was sort of the start of the entire journey. At first, I thought it would only take a day or two. However, after we filmed the pilot and saw the trailers, oh wow, there was something extraordinary about it. As we'd conceived it in writing, we knew it had the potential to be something special. But what really hit us when we saw the trailer was an "oh my God" moment, and from there, the project just took off. They kept bringing the elderly man back.
What has playing the role of Mr. Johnson meant to you, particularly in relation to your entire career path?
What I think is most significant about the show is that it brings immense joy to people all over the world. The subject matter of the show, too, is very important to me - it highlights the needs that we have here in America, particularly a school system that provides support to everyone. I think this resonates with almost everyone, as many have had to attend school at some point. Everyone has had a teacher, a custodian, or someone else in the school system who has made an impact. Teachers have the power to change and save lives, and that's exactly what the show sheds light on. I believe they deserve to be compensated like medical professionals who change and save lives.
Who was that one teacher who had the biggest influence on you back when you were a kid?
My mom's sister, who was also my third-grade teacher, was very strict with me. She'd say, "Listen, you're not going to get a break. I expect everything to be on time."
I had other teachers too. In high school, I wasn't the best student. I got expelled multiple times. But the last time, when it seemed my situation was pretty hopeless, they sent me to a school referred to as "Opportunity" or "Op" because this was typically students' last chance to earn a diploma. It greatly turned my life around.
A man named Mr. Mayor recognized something in me, and he put me in a program called Upward Bound. I saw the Negro Ensemble Company and that's when I realized that a bunch of African Americans were up there on stage doing amazing work. And I thought, "That's what I want to do." And that completely changed my life. Teachers are like guardian angels. They show up at just the right time. And this guy was an angel for me. He showed up when I needed him, because if I had turned left instead of right, my whole life would have been totally different.
There were so many obstacles on the road, though, right? I know you auditioned for “Friends” and thought you did a good job until your agent told you that they didn't think much of you and suggested you give up on acting. But why didn't you quit at that point?
I felt like that was a really significant moment because the casting director came to my agent about me, and my agent mentioned something - he told someone else and I happened to be listening on the phone - and he wasn't supposed to share that with them, but agents often gossip like that. Three months later, they unexpectedly fired me, and I thought to myself, “Nobody will ever let me go and nobody will ever criticize my work like that again.”
So I started taking classes with actors I really admired, who were better than me, to help me improve as an actor. I got into a class that was sometimes too expensive for me, but I would slip in and sit in the back, hoping the teacher wouldn't spot me, but of course she would, and she'd still let me participate on stage. She saw something in me that she thought had potential. There were times when she'd give me a firm talk, saying, "I expect great things from you." And that really kept me motivated. And to make matters even better, she was like an angel to me.
You're excelling at 73, showing that one can continue to thrive in their career well into their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s.
Sheryl Lee Ralph expressed it perfectly when she said, "It may not happen in your 20s, it may not happen in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s. It only won't happen if you give up." So the first rule is, don't give up. The second rule is, never forget the first one. That's kind of been my approach to living my life.
You've given Quinta Brunson credit for changing your life. What are those career conversations like between the two of you?
[Quinta] is a boss. She talks about how if "Abbott" hadn't succeeded, she might have given up, but she didn't. I'm grateful that she didn't. To have someone who recognizes me and has shown the world who I am - I can't repay that. She's made a huge impact on all of our lives, when it comes to what we do on stage and what we bring to the audience. She ensures we strive to give our best performance possible, and she insists on that.
We've been on sets where there's been a typo or some hasty scribbles on the board, and she'll stop the scene mid-take, saying, "Cut, let's fix that." Maybe it's just something she didn't like. She wants everything perfect, every little smudge on the wall, every aspect of the setting, and even how we and the kids look.
There's something very special to me about the way Mr. Johnson is portrayed. It highlights the dignity that's often overlooked in janitorial and service work, and effectively counters the long history of Black characters being written with such limited depth. Considering the significant changes you've seen over four decades in this field, can you tell me what it means to you to be able to portray this character in such a meaningful way?
We, as actors, need to portray every aspect of the human experience. For a very long time, we were limited to certain roles, which is because those in power back then viewed us in a particular way. The Blaxploitation movement played a significant change in how Black individuals were perceived on television and in film. There were more business owners and writers who were responsible for hiring and firing, and we became box office hits.
As a Black person in this industry, we've blazed a trail for those who'll follow us. But it took trailblazers like Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier to break the mold and show the world that we're more than just service industry workers, that we're capable of excelling in any role a human can. Their success paved the way for Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, and those guys paved the way for Stan Davis, so it's my responsibility to pave the way for others.
I know you've got a few things on your plate, but I'd like to focus on the project you're working on with Wanda Sykes for a spell. Can you give me a little sneak peek?
I'll say this much. Wanda isn't funny in this. This isn't a comedy. When people see it, they're going to be shocked. She plays an ex-boxer who's abandoned her child and her child comes back into her life and it's a difficult road. But that's all I'm going to say, because I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to reveal. But she's absolutely fantastic in this and I think audiences are going to be pleasantly surprised by the work she's doing, and I feel really fortunate to be working with her.
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