There isn’t a whole lot audiences know about Mr. Johnson, a janitor and occasional substitute teacher at the eponymous public school on “Abbott Elementary” — including his first name — but how much information does the man who plays him, William Stanford Davis, have about the character?
“I’ve given [the writers] my thoughts about where he’s been, where he comes from, his personal, private life,” Davis tells Gold Derby during a recent webchat (watch the full exclusive video interview above), teasing that fans of the show can expect to learn more about him in the remaining episodes of the ABC sitcom’s third season. “I’ve had a lot of fans on social media [say], ‘We want more Mr. Johnson!’ And the writers have taken that into consideration. [In] these last few episodes, you’re gonna see a little bit more Mr. Johnson, a different side of him.”
SEE Interview with ‘Abbott Elementary’ director and EP Randall Einhorn
Among the things that viewers definitely do know about the otherwise-enigmatic character is that he doesn’t have a filter, loves to keep everyone at Abbott on their toes and believes in some of the most outrageous conspiracy theories imaginable, including that the moon doesn’t exist, that all classrooms in the school save for Gregory’s (Tyler James Williams) are bugged and that there are “lizard people” living under the Denver airport. While these eccentric qualities are no doubt part of the reason Mr. Johnson has become such a fan favorite, Davis never wants those to completely overshadow the character.
“I think every actor wants to make their characters honest, as three-dimensional as possible. I don’t ever want to make [Mr. Johnson] a cartoon or just some little soundbite that pops in and pops out,” the actor highlights. “I try to put honesty in him. I base this character on a lot of people that I’ve met or known in my life, including some family members… I think that people like him — I’ve seen people like them, they’re real people — think that their opinion matters just like anyone else’s — and they’ll say it loudly.”
Because Mr. Johnson is the school custodian — not to mention, one who has worked there for ages — he has a relationship with about every staff member at Abbott. When asked which one he believes has evolved the most throughout the show’s three seasons, Davis points to Mr. Johnson’s dynamic with Gregory and Jacob (Chris Perfetti), who increasingly, albeit unintentionally, ice out the janitor as they grow closer to each other. “I mean, there’s this thing where I say, ‘We’re the Three Musketeers, we’re the only guys in the whole thing, we stick together,'” Davis notes. “But, you know, it’s only evolved so much, because Mr. Johnson, still, is Mr. Johnson; he’s not gonna let them just run over him… He’s still very opinionated. But the man is such an enigma, he will give you the last dime in his pocket, I think. [And] as he’s giving it to you, he might try to cut your hand off. But that’s the type of guy he is — I think he’s honest and generous and says what’s on his mind.”
SEE Will ‘Abbott Elementary’ finally expand in the supporting acting Emmy categories?
“Abbott Elementary” was renewed for a fourth season on February 10, which means there is still ample opportunity to dig deeper into Mr. Johnson’s character on the show. “I would like to see more of his personal life, away from the school,” Davis says of his wishes for the upcoming installment. “Does this man have family? Does he have a love interest? What does he do? I know in the beginning, we established that he’s an avid fisherman — he loves to fish. That’s kind of his getaway and his me time. So I think that they’re gonna get into more of those types of situations with him. And I think you’ll see… a more extensive relationship with everyone. You’ll see more of his relationship with [Sheryl Lee Ralph‘s] Barbara — even though he tiptoes around her a lot [and] she speaks her mind to him. But I think that you’ll see more of a personal type of relationship.”
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