‘He feels like he's the smartest guy there': ‘Abbott Elementary's' William Stanford Davis on Mr. Johnson's ‘veneer' of ‘mystery'

William Stanford Davis is "just surprised at how far they'll go sometimes" as you are when it comes to the unexpected details of his Abbott Elementary character Mr. Johnson's life that the writers feature in every script. In Season 4, for example, Mr. Johnson showed up to school dressed as "Emo Jimmy Butler" for Halloween and busted out singing the Oscar-winning "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" at faculty karaoke night.
"What I really love about him is his mystery. You don't know what he's going to do next, and you don't know what his experiences are," Davis tells Gold Derby.
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Four season into Abbott Elementary, Davis has plenty of thoughts as to why Mr. Johnson continues to love his job as the reliable — and reliably unpredictable — janitor. "He keeps the school spick and span. I went to a school that was like that, and I saw how these guys worked hard to make sure that we had a place that we could be proud of and a place that was comfortable," the actor says. "That's what I try to base this man on, that he loves his job, he cares for the kids, and he loves needling the teachers and the principal. He loves giving them a hard time because he feels like he's the smartest guy there. He's been all over the world. He's had more experiences than them."
In Season 4, Davis shared the screen with three big guest stars. In 'Volunteers,' the crossover of Abbott and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mr. Johnson and Danny DeVito's Frank spar over how to handle rodents terrorizing Gregory's (Tyler James Williams) garden. The actor recalls of working with the screen legend, 'To have Danny DeVito on the show, that's an icon. That's like having royalty on the show, and he was just so cool. He was so easy to work with and he gave a lot of advice. … There's one scene where he's in a cage, he was there before we even got on set, he was in the cage in the mud.'
SEE Janelle James on Ava's challenging year on 'Abbott Elementary': 'They kind of threw everything at me this season'
A subsequent installment, 'Testing,' introduced Eric André as Cedric, a janitor in training sent to Abbott Elementary by the district to potentially replace Mr. Johnson, though the novice quickly comes to realize he could never do so. While the scenes of Mr. Johnson displaying his unparalleled expertise are hilarious, the episode also has a moment of sincerity between Mr. Johnson and the depressed science teacher, Mr. Morton, played by Jerry Minor. Davis appreciates the moments where he gets to showcase his character's depth. "I love those moments. I'd love to see them more, but Mr. Johnson still has to have that veneer, so they'll give me one in each season, but I love those. I love that you get to see that he's not a caricature or a cartoon, he is a 360-degree, three-dimensional human being like we all are."
One of the final episodes of the season features actress and musician Jill Scott, playing herself as the entertainer at this year's school fundraiser. When Gold Derby recently interviewed director Randall Einhorn, he shared that the entire sequence of Scott's performance, which features Davis, had to be reconfigured due to torrential rain that shifted the concert from outside to the narrow halls of the elementary school. "Randall's a genius, man. He is such an amazing director,' Davis says of how the director adapted the scene on the fly. He says he and Williams decided to "keep the rhythm and support" Scott during her performance, adding, "She came out strong, but it was important that we not only kept up with her, but made her feel like we're a group, we're in this together."
Disney/Gilles Mingasson
The episode, titled 'Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift,' ends with Mr. Johnson admitting to Scott that he is a super-fan, frightening the musician because of how many concerts he has attended and the personal items of hers that he has swiped. Davis initially felt trepidatious about the scene. "I didn't want to stalk her,' he confesses, before asking himself, "How do I make this honest?" His answer: "I just became this over-enthused fan, someone that was just so in love with what she does, and that's who I am in real life. I love Jill Scott. I think I have every one of her recordings."
SEE 'Abbott Elementary' bosses on subverting finale expectations, 'the season of Ava,' and their dream crossover
Perched behind Davis during our interview is his SAG Award trophy from 2023, when Abbott Elementary took home the honor for comedy ensemble. Reflecting on that victory and Quinta Brunson's acceptance speech, the actor shares, "I think it was the most incredible moment I've had since I've been on the show. To win with them and to be recognized by our peers, by other actors, it just meant so much to everyone." He also comments on how it speaks to the series' legacy: "I think the show's going to go down in history as one of the best shows in television. I like the fact that it shines a light on what we need in our school system. I think that teachers are just as important as doctors, and Abbott in a very comedic way shines a light on how important it is, and I think that overall, that's what I love about the show more than anything."
Abbott Elementary begins production on Season 5 shortly. Davis shares that he would most like to see a glimpse of Mr. Johnson's personal life in the next batch of episodes. "We've seen Janine (Brunson) in her home, we've seen Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) in their homes, and we've seen most of the personal lives of the other characters, and I think Mr. Johnson is due for that." He suggests that perhaps Mr. Johnson's mother could still be alive, riffing, "Maybe she's the only person that he bows to, and he's a little kid around her." Davis' dream suggestion for who could play his mother? Five-time Emmy nominee Marla Gibbs. "I've even spoken to her about that when I've seen her at the events," shares the actor with a smile.
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USA Today

an hour ago

• USA Today

Bryan Cranston champions Ford's new philanthropy push at revived Detroit landmark

It's midmorning June 17 and actor Bryan Cranston is in a private room deep inside Michigan Central Station seated in an overstuffed lounge chair. He leans back, smiling and welcoming the respite from the grueling 82-degree heat he'd just endured for more than an hour outside, speaking in front of hundreds of Ford Motor Co. employees, dealers and some media. Cranston, 69, isn't complaining. Heck, he isn't even sweating. The Oscar-nominated star volunteered to be in Detroit to emcee the event to kick off Ford's new philanthropy program: Ford Building Together. The program aims to better unite Ford's nationwide dealership network and employees so that they can provide more efficient relief during disasters. Ford is partnering with four charities in the new program. 'I'm here to build that community, that's what it's all about," Cranston told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, of why he supports Ford's philanthropy work. "I'm tired of the vitriol and the rancor and the finger-pointing. We're better than that. We have a variety of different opinions on religion and politics and life. But let's find the commonality. This is one of those events that finds that commonality. This is a celebration of the American spirit.' The American spirit is fitting for Ford as the company touts itself as the most American of all the automakers, often citing the statistic that 80% of the vehicles it sells in the United States, it also assembles here. That is a timely message amid President Donald Trump's trade war, which seeks to encourage more U.S.-based manufacturing. A quiet philanthropist Cranston is most famous for playing the dad in the early 2000s sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle" and more recently as playing Walter White, a chemistry teacher turned drug dealer, in the hit 2008-13 drama "Breaking Bad." In 2016, he was nominated for Best Actor for the movie "Trumbo." Despite his movie star credentials, Cranston is a dedicated philanthropist, though he said this is the first time he has talked so openly about it. "I've been involved in philanthropy for quite a while. My wife and I have a fund set up for a variety of charities," Cranston said. "It was Jane Kaczmarek, who played my wife in 'Malcom in the Middle,' who said, 'Paying back, donating time, energy and money to charities is reciprocal to our good fortune and it kind of comes with the territory.' " He has used social media to promote his involvement with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children over the years. And, even with his business endeavors, Cranston makes an effort to give back. "I'm so blessed; I'm so lucky. Why not share it?" Cranston said. "I don't know how good I'd be as a mogul, wanting to make more and more. I want to make and share, make and share. That's what we discovered when Aaron Paul (costar in 'Breaking Bad') and I started our mezcal company Dos Hombres — we have to give back to the people of Mexico. It's the right thing to do." 'You want me to show up?' Cranston's ties to Ford started years ago. The relationship has taken him from rescue work with the automaker's philanthropy arm after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, to more recently his visit to Dearborn, Michigan Truck Plant to donning a hard hat to trapse through the very building he sat in on June 17: Michigan Central Station, well before it was renovated. Cranston's famous voice — a deep, gutteral baritone — won him a contract as the voice of Ford commercials starting in October 2018 with the launch of the "Built Ford Proud" campaign, according to Ad Age. He has also voiced Ford Philanthropy promotional videos. Before that, he said he has personally bought several F-150 crew cab pickups over the years, donating them to charities to use after hurricanes to rescue people in flooded areas. As for his personal car, Cranston has been driving an all-electric Mustang Mach-E for the past few years. So when Ford told him about this new philanthropy program that partners with the American Red Cross (Cranston said he donates blood regularly), Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America and Team Rubicon, he didn't hesitate to help. "Ford said, 'Do you wanna …?' I said, 'You want me to show up?' They said, 'Will you? Really?' I said, 'Yeah, yeah.' So here I am," Cranston said. Cranston's visits to Michigan To get to Detroit on June 17, Cranston took a day and a half off from the set of his latest project, a dark comedy movie being filmed in Champaign, Illinois, called "Chili Finger." It also stars Judy Greer, Sean Astin and John Goodman. The timing is interesting, too. Cranston said it was nearly four years ago to the date when he entered "this building wearing a hard hat and a vest, stepping over puddles and fallen cables and graffiti and broken marble … it was a mess." That was in 2021 or so and Cranston said he'd come to Michigan to do research for the 2022 movie "Jerry and Marge Go Large" costarring Annette Bening based on the true story of Jerry and Marge Selbee, of Evart, Michigan, who figured out how to win the lottery. Cranston took a detour from his research to come to Detroit during that visit where he met up with friends. While in the city, he took a tour of Dearborn Truck Plant to see the F-150 pickup being made and then he made his way to Michigan Central Station. "I came here to see what Ford was doing to this and why," Cranston said. "I thought, 'Oh my gosh this is a huge undertaking.' I knew it was Bill Ford's baby and people thought he was a little crazy to do this and look at it now. It's gorgeous.' Executive Chair Bill Ford was on FOX News Channel's "FOX & Friends" the morning of June 17 talking to co-host Steve Doocy about the long-standing desire to repair the train station. "It had become a mecca for drug dealers and everything else. I drove by it almost every day and often, what happened was, there were stories, national stories about the decay of Detroit ... and this was often the visual," Ford said of the train station. Ford spent close to $1 billion to renovate the old train depot, which now holds shops, offices and soon, a luxury hotel. Since it opened to the public in June 2024, Ford said it has had about 300,000 visitors. On June 2, NoMad Hotels, an upscale boutique brand affiliated with Hilton and featuring a bourgeois-bohemian flair, said it plans to open an approximately 180-room hotel on the top floors of Michigan Central Station in the first half of 2027. Cranston's take on Detroit sports Cranston glances around at the marble walls. The sunlight pierces through the skylights illuminating the once downtrodden train depot. He is aware the building reflects the Motor City, a place he calls a "great town" that he visits often. "I'm really, really happy to see it come back," Cranston said. "There were times when I was here, where it was almost like a ghost town and to see that urban renewal is really rewarding.' Cranston has a couple of hours before he has to catch a flight back to Champaign, Illinois, and return to his real job. He doesn't mind going back to work, saying he is grateful that he gets to do what he loves for a living and it has given him a platform to help others. There is one regret though, being a Tigers fan, Cranston wishes he could have caught a game while here. "But the last time I was here, it was about a year and a half ago, and I'm from Los Angeles originally so I'm a Rams fan," Cranston said. "We came to play the Lions and the Lions beat us. They played a better game and they won. They've got a great team and it was a lot of fun." Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

Tom's Guide

3 hours ago

• Tom's Guide

I finally binged 'The Bear' to catch up before season 4 — and it's transformed how I watch TV

In the fast-paced world of streaming, the newest releases tend to steal the spotlight. The best streaming services like Max, Netflix, and Disney Plus constantly push their latest shows and movies to the forefront. But that makes it hard to catch up on all the must-watch TV shows if you're not much of a binge-watcher (guilty) or tend to be skeptical of anything that's universally hyped (also guilty). The latter may sound overly cynical (eh, I can be guilty of that too), but you have to understand that, out here near Chicago, people adore "The Bear." They will not shut up about it. The onslaught of "The Bear" recommendations began with literally the first episode, which includes a one-line shoutout about Rockford, where I'm based, that was the talk of the town for weeks. I wish I was exaggerating. Tired of hearing about how much I just have to watch "The Bear," I finally sat down at the start of the month to check out Hulu's Emmy-winning comedy-drama series. With "The Bear" season 4 premiering on June 25, I doubted I'd be able to catch up in time. And I was wrong. Turns out, binge-watching is for me after all — and my sleep schedule already hates me for it. I severely underestimated how bingeable "The Bear" would be. The hype was all well-deserved. Pretty much from the first episode, I was glued to my couch, devouring all three seasons in just a few short weeks. I can already feel you seasoned binge-watchers shaking your heads — that must be a snail's pace by comparison — but like I said, I don't tend to binge-watch shows. Every once in a while, one like "Yellowjackets" gets its hooks into me, but I thought it was the exception rather than the rule. After two or three episodes, my attention span tends to be on its dying legs; meanwhile, my actual legs are itching to get up and do something else after sitting for so long. I prefer savoring series, taking regular breaks to reflect on what happened, sit with the characters' choices for a bit, and appreciate the pacing or overarching themes. Even the juiciest of cliffhangers are rarely enough to convince me to hit "next episode" once I'm tired of watching TV for the day. But "The Bear" has made a binge-watcher out of me yet. While I considered pacing myself, "The Bear" felt almost tailor-made for a binge. Between the short episode lengths (a bite-sized 30 minutes) and the way each installment plays out like a self-contained stage play, I found myself only hungry for more by the time the credits rolled. Set in Chicago, "The Bear" tells the story of fine-dining chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) who returns home to rescue his late brother's floundering restaurant — and it's nothing short of remarkable. The dizzying highs and crushing lows as Carmy whips The Beef into the restaurant he and his brother always dreamed of having are captivating to watch unfold. Part of that secret sauce is how each episode adds new ingredients to play with. Flashbacks that illuminate each character's motivations and struggles. Explosive fights (and there are a lot of those) that reveal more than the characters mean to. Or small moments that add up to heart-wrenching realizations several episodes — or even seasons — later. With its raw, chaotic portrayal of family dynamics and mouth-watering food, I'm not surprised "The Bear's" achieved such cult status. The constant simmer of conflict threatened to burn me out at times, but then a quieter, more reflective episode would reset my palette. I particularly enjoyed season 3's debut episode, "Tomorrow," which completely upended my understanding of who Carmy is with a series of contemplative, devastating flashbacks of his career. I adore it anytime a show makes me fall in love with a character I initially despised, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Cousin Richie is one for the history books. He goes from a complete asshole to an asshole worth cheering for. Beneath the bravado and outbursts, he's grieving, insecure, and trying (however messily) to find his place in a world that's evolving without him. One of my favorite moments in the show so far was seeing him belt out Taylor Swift's "Love Story" in the car after coming into his own in season 2. While there's truly no universal rule for how to watch TV shows, "The Bear" has made me reconsider my stance on binge-watching. As much as I prefer giving stories space to breathe between episodes, I can't deny that "The Bear" was improved by devouring its twists and turns in an insatiable marathon. Binge-watching still isn't my default, but for the right show, it can be the ideal way to experience things.

Tom's Guide

5 hours ago

• Tom's Guide

5 Marvel movies worth watching again before 'Ironheart' comes out next week

For anyone who knows the name Ryan Coogler, "Ironheart" on Disney Plus is a show you're going to want to watch. Debuting next week, it looks like a light-hearted origin story for the character first introduced in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," named Riri Williams. But Executive Producer Coogler has been on a roll lately. He not only directed that 2022 film but also the well-received "Sinners," which already has Oscar buzz. Plus, he directed the original "Black Panther" as it can be hard to keep all of these Disney shows straight if you haven't watched the recent Marvel films since they came out a few years ago. To help, here's a homework assignment. These five movies will serve as a refresher for the Black Panther superhero and help prepare you for going back to Wakanda when "Ironheart" comes out June 24. Each movie is also available to watch on Disney Plus making this assignment super easy. (Note: These movies are presented in the order of which ones are worth watching first, starting with the two main "Black Panther" films, but you can watch them in any order.) The film that started it all, "Black Panther" from 2018, starred the late Chadwick Boseman as a superhero gifted with super strength and even more super technology. He wore the Vibranium Panther Suit and had claws that could rip through just about anything. The most interesting character trait with Black Panther, though, was that he was also the King of Wakanda. That means there are elements of a monarchy to the series and a deep family dynamic. It's not quite clear how Riri Williams, as Ironheart, will factor into that equation. Once you are done watching "Black Panther," the next best option is to (re)watch "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" because it introduces the Ironheart character. We first meet Riri Williams as an MIT genius experimenting with vibranium technology. The film, released in 2022, was partly an origin story for Ironheart — even if the main story arc was more about the character Shuri becoming a new iteration of Black Panther. We also first meet the villain, Namor. Released way back in 2016, but still one of the best Marvel movies to date, "Captain America: Civil War" introduced Black Panther with a compelling backstory. Chadwick Boseman's character T'Challa is introduced in Civil War as the Prince of Wakanda. His father, King T'Chaka, is part of a delegation intending to sign the Sokovia Accords to put restrictions on the Avengers. He is killed when a bomb explodes, setting the stage for T'Challa to become not only King of Wakanda but also the Black Panther to honor his late father. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Marvel knows how to build momentum for their characters — at least, that was true back in 2018. After Black Panther came out in February 2019, the superhero emerged as a key player in "Avengers: Infinity War" that April. (It's hard to remember both films were released only months apart.) Fortunately, that meant it was also easy to remember Black Panther — who ends up leading a massive battle against Thanos and his army. In case any of us need a reminder (and this is a major spoiler alert): Black Panther was part of the blip in "Infinity War." His character is restored in "Avengers: Endgame," but due to the real-life passing of Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther mantle is passed to his on-screen sister Shuri in "Wakanda Forever. "That's a good backstory to keep in mind. "Ironheart" doesn't focus on Shuri, but we're sure there are flashbacks or references throughout the show. That's because Black Panther is a protector of sorts for Ironheart as Riri Williams learns the ropes.