Janelle James may now be pulling a $200,000-per-episode salary on Abbott Elementary, but before fame the four-time Emmy-nominated comedian and actress did “every hustle in the book” to stay afloat.
From waitressing tables to giving sewing lessons, planning parties, working as a personal chef, and even distributing cigars at a strip club, James tried it all before scoring her breakout role as Ava Coleman.
While hustling from a young age taught James the value of money, it didn’t quite prepare her for navigating wealth as an adult.
“I am the first person in my family to have this level of income, and that is something to navigate around, not only in my family, but in my friend group,” James said.
Despite becoming such a success in the TV industry now, James didn’t spend her entire childhood yearning for the day she made it in Hollywood. In fact, she never considered it as a lucrative path to success in general.
“I never did stage plays, nothing performance-wise,” she continued on Conan O’Brien’s podcast. “Performing never crossed my mind.”
The idea came after moving to the Midwest from New York. While navigating motherhood, her ex-husband suggested it would be a talent worth exploring.
“I’d be running my mouth as I do, and he would say you’re hilarious,” she said. “He’s the first person I remember being like, ‘oh you should do something with that’… It never crossed my mind”
