What Is Quinta Brunson's Net Worth?
Quinta Brunson is an American actress, writer, comedian, producer, and director who has a net worth of $9 million. Quinta Brunson is best known for creating, writing, executive producing, and starring on the ABC sitcom "Abbott Elementary" (2021–present), which earned her a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 2022 and, in 2024, a Primetime Emmy for Lead Actress – Comedy Series.
Brunson created, wrote, produced, and starred in the web series "Broke" (2016) and "Quinta vs. Everything" (2017–2018) and the go90 series "Up for Adoption" (2017), and she was a director on "Broke." She voiced Blazor Wulf on the Adult Swim series "Lazor Wulf" (2019–2021) and wrote two episodes of the show, and she produced the "Wash and Go Tutorial – Spike Lee" episode of the BuzzFeed Studios series "Hair Flick" (2019). Quinta has more than 25 acting credits to her name, including the films "An American Pickle" (2020) and "As of Yet " (2021) and the television series "Single Parents" (2018–2020), "A Black Lady Sketch Show" (2019; 2022), and "Miracle Workers" (2021). She published the book "She Memes Well" in 2021, and in July 2022, it was announced that she had been cast as Oprah Winfrey in The Roku Channel film "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story." In 2022, Brunson was featured on "Time" magazine's "100 Most Influential People" list, and she became the first Black woman to receive three nominations in the comedy category (writing, acting, and series) at the Primetime Emmys.
Syndication Royalties
When Abbot qualifies for and then subsequently sells into syndication, Quinta's net worth will skyrocket. As the show's creator, producer and star, Quinta owns a meaningful chunk of the show's backend equity points. If her deal is comparable to other creators, she could own as much as 20% of the show, or as little as 10%. Assuming 10%, to be conservative, if the show generates $500 million in syndication royalties in its first decade in syndication, Quinta would earn $50 million. As the show's star, producer and writer, she will also earn residuals whenever the show actually re-airs in syndication. The amount she earns goes down slightly after each episode is re-aired.
Warner Brothers Overall Deal
In August 2022 Quinta signed a multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal will keep Quinta with Warner Bros., creating new shows and continuing to produce, write and star in "Abbot Elementary."
Endorsements
As her star has risen, so has Quinta's ability to earn significant income from endorsement deals. In September 2022 she became the newest face of skincare brand OLAY. In April 2023 she inked a deal with J. Crew. In February 2024 she starred in a Super Bowl commercial for Turbo Tax.
Early Life
Quinta Brunson was born on December 21, 1989, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Rick and Norma Jean Brunson, and she grew up in a Jehovah's Witness household with older siblings Kalid, Nija (better known as Jia), Kiyana, and Kwei. In her book, Quinta referred to her mother as a "dedicated and brilliant kindergarten teacher," and during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" to promote "Abbot Elementary," she revealed, "I was in my mother's class, her kindergarten class. I was in her class and I went to the same school where she taught for like six years, including kindergarten. So I rode to school with her, rode home with her, watched her work more at home. It's just getting such a different view. And I really credit my mom's experience for helping me to create the show." As a child, Brunson was very energetic, which led her mother to enroll her in ballet and aerobics classes. Quinta studied at the Charter High School for Architecture & Design and became "obsessed" with comedy as a teenager, which inspired her to take an improv class. After graduating from high school, she attended Temple University, and as a sophomore, she took classes with Chicago's famed Second City improv comedy troupe. Quinta later dropped out of college to pursue a comedy career.
Career
In 2014, Brunson gained many fans after posting funny videos on Instagram, such as the viral video series "Girl Who Has Never Been on a Nice Date." She later worked at BuzzFeed Video as a video producer, and in 2016, she sold the YouTube Red series "Broke" and the go90 series "Up for Adoption," which were both developed with BuzzFeed Motion Pictures. From 2017 to 2018, she starred in the Facebook Watch series "Quinta vs. Everything," which she also created, wrote, and produced, and in 2018, she guest-starred on Fox's "New Girl" and began a three-episode stint on ABC's "Single Parents." In 2019, Quinta had a recurring role as Dr. Charlie Collier on The CW series "iZombie," and she pla
yed Charlie's twin sister, Laila, in an episode as well. That year she also began starring on and writing for HBO's "A Black Lady Sketch Show," but she left because of scheduling conflicts during the second season and returned as a guest star in 2022. Brunson lent her voice to the animated shows "Big Mouth" (2019–2021), "Lazor Wulf" (2019–2021), and "Magical Girl Friendship Squad" (2020), and she made her film debut in 2020's "An American Pickle" alongside Seth Rogen.
(Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
Abbott Elementary
In 2021, Quinta had a recurring role as Trig on the TBS anthology series "Miracle Workers," appeared in the film "As of Yet." More importantly, this same year and began starring as Janine Teagues on the critically-acclaimed ABC sitcom "Abbott Elementary."
Brunson created, writes, and produces the series, which also stars Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, Sheryl Lee Ralph (who won an Emmy for her performance), and William Stanford Davis. The show is executive Produced by Quinta, Randall Einhorn, Patrick Schumacher and Justin Halpern.
In 2022, "Abbott Elementary" won a Black Reel Television Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, a Dorian Award for Best TV Comedy, a Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Broadcast Network Series, Comedy, and Television Critics Association Awards for Program of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, and Outstanding New Program, and Quinta won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the show's pilot.
In July 2022, writer Christine Davis filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Brunson and ABC, alleging that the series is a "knock-off" of a TV show script she wrote called "This School Year," stating that the similarities between the two shows include the "look and feel of the inner-city school, the mockumentary style, unique plot synopsis, set design, and unique characters."
In August 2022, Quinta entered into a multi-year overall deal with one of the studios that produces "Abbott Elementary," Warner Bros. Television. The studio's chairman, Channing Dungey, said of the deal, "Quinta Brunson is a tour de force and a powerhouse talent, and we are beyond thrilled to be continuing our partnership with her through this new overall deal. What Quinta and her 'Abbott Elementary' team have achieved in the first season is just extraordinary."
(Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Personal Life
Quinta announced her engagement to sales manager Kevin Jay Anik in July 2020, and the couple married in September 2021. While accepting her Primetime Emmy in September 2022, Brunson called Anik "the most supportive man I've ever known." Quinta donated a portion of the "Abbot Elementary" marketing budget to teachers. She told NPR's "Fresh Air" in March 2022, "We chose to put the marketing money toward supplies for teachers. It's about being able to make those kinds of decisions that really excite me, things that can really materially help people."
Awards and Nominations
In 2022, Brunson earned three Primetime Emmy nominations for "Abbot Elementary," winning Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Her other nominations were for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series. Quinta won four Black Reel Awards for Television in 2022: Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing, Comedy Series, and Outstanding Comedy Series for "Abbott Elementary" and Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy Series for "A Black Lady Sketch Show." "Abbott Elementary" has also earned her Hollywood Critics Association Television Awards for Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy, Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy, and TV Breakout Star Award and a Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy as well as nominations from the BET Awards (Best Actress), Dorian TV Awards (Best TV Performance and Wilde Wit Award), Gold Derby Awards (Comedy Actress and Breakthrough Performer of the Year), International Online Cinema Awards (Best Actress in a Comedy Series and Best Writing for a Comedy Series), and Online Film & Television Association Awards (Best Actress in a Comedy Series). In 2017, Brunson received a Streamy Award nomination for Best Acting in a Comedy for "Broke."
