Chris Perfetti on what aspect of "Abbott Elementary" is like "trying to play one-on-one with LeBron"

For decades, sports have been known as the great unifier. Fresh off the show's Screen Actors Guild award for comedy ensemble, Perfetti says of his "Abbott" cast mates: "I'm obsessed with those people. Yeah, and I feel like every time I start a new part, I'm trying to figure out what it takes to make that person exist in the world, and I felt like I was really ready to start the play when we did, but it was only after going to games – I went to a couple Cavs games – and just watching all of the history that is LeBron's life and career, and then it all clicked for me. One of the things that attracted me to the play is I think Rajiv is really good at writing, not just the way that people actually speak, conversations that are real and feel like life, but the way he's handled this topic and the way it is illuminated by their friendship. I'm trying to just make peace with, while I do feel very connected to that character, that part of this art thing is letting somebody else have control and just trusting that Quinta was like, "Yeah, that's actually the person that I imagine, or that guy understands something more than maybe he even knows."