Sheryl Lee Ralph Says the Kids Who Play Her Students on Abbott Elementary Believe 'I'm Their Teacher'

• At the D23 Expo, Sheryl Lee Ralph shared the kids who play her students on Abbott Elementary believe she's really their teacher
• "It's that favorite teacher or the teacher that pushed you to do just a bit better because she saw in you what you might not have seen in yourself," the actress said of her character Barbara Howard
• The fourth season of the ABC hit is set to premiere on Oct. 9

School bells are ringing for the cast of Abbott Elementary!

On Saturday, Aug. 10, the cast of the hit ABC series participated in a panel – called "Abbott Elementary: Class Is in Session!" – at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif. While speaking at the event, Sheryl Lee Ralph discussed playing the role of Barbara Howard and what it's been like to see "the writing evolve" around the character.

"First of all, I really love Barbara Howard," Ralph, 67, said. "It's that favorite teacher or the teacher that pushed you to do just a bit better because she saw in you what you might not have seen in yourself."

The Emmy-winning actress also revealed the kids who play her students on Abbott Elementary see her as a teacher both on and offscreen.

She continued, "When I look at these kids that come into my classroom every year and their little faces believing that I'm their teacher. Oh my God, it's just the best."

"And they write me when the show is over, they'll keep in touch, they'll tell me what they did during the summer."

Ralph added that although she not a teacher herself, "I've been raised by teachers, surrounded by teachers, but I'm getting the best of a fake teacher's life."

The D23 Expo event took place through Aug. 11, and featured sneak peeks at upcoming Disney shows and movies, including Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Marvel's Ironheart and Moana 2.

Abbott Elementary first premiered in 2021 and has since aired three seasons. The fourth season is set to premiere on Oct. 9. The show quickly became a fan-favorite and has won several major awards over the years, including an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Quinta Brunson’s portrayal of school teacher Janine Teagues.

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The cast of the ABC hit appeared at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 in July and revealed that a crossover episode with another TV series is in the works for the upcoming season.

"I’m not gonna tell you with who, or with what, or where, or when, but it’s really exciting and I think it’ll change television as we know it," Brunson, 34, teased, per Variety. 

During the event, a few cast members spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about their dream guest stars. Tyler James Williams, who plays Gregory Eddie, suggested Solange Knowles, while Chris Perfetti, who takes on the role of Jacob Hill, expressed his trust in Brunson’s casting. 

"I feel like Quinta has been so great about bringing in people that I didn't know about. But, fit seamlessly in the world of Abbott and are just like so talented and such forces. And so I feel like my dream guest star is again, somebody I don't know about yet," he said. 

William Stanford Davis and Lisa Ann Walter, who play janitor Mr. Johnson and second grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti, respectively, both named Halle Berry.

Janelle James, the actress behind the role of principal Ava Coleman, echoed Perfetti’s sentiments. "Like, it's hard to do what you want. If that were the case, I'd be like [late singer] Prince or something. And then he'd just be Prince on our show, but that's not the type of guest star that we do," she said.

Season 3 featured a few buzzy guest stars with Lana Condor, Sabrina Brier and Jason Kelce making appearances in various roles.

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Abbott Elementary season 4 is set to premiere on Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC. Past seasons can be streamed on Hulu.