
Abbott Elementary may still be a few days away from returning for more of Season 5 in the 2026 TV schedule, but actress Janelle James already has something to celebrate this year: a long-awaited Critics Choice Awards win. After being nominated three years in a row without taking home a trophy, James won in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her fourth nomination. She brought some laughs with her acceptance speech after getting the big news, and her picks for other sitcoms to feature her character sound even more entertaining.
Janelle James' victory as Best Supporting Actress gave Abbott Elementary its first CCA trophy since the show won for Best Comedy Series and Sheryl Lee Ralph won for Best Supporting Actress, both in 2023. While Abbott didn't win Best Comedy and co-star Chris Perfetti didn't take home the trophy for Best Supporting Actor this year, James' success was a long time coming after four consecutive nominations. In her acceptance speech, she said: