Novi boy, 7, lands role on ‘Abbott Elementary’
For most second graders, summer means time off from school, days filled with play, and family vacations. But for Seth Moore, a Farmington Public School's Hillside Elementary School student, the summer of 2024 brought something far more exciting — a role on the hit sitcom "Abbott Elementary."
Seth, a second grader from Novi, has landed a supporting role on the hit mockumentary sitcom, which has been nominated for Emmys and Golden Globes. The much-anticipated Season 4, in which Seth made his appearance, premiered on Oct. 9 on ABC. The young actor co-starred in a memorable role aptly titled "Toothless Kid," a character who ties directly into his own experience, as he, too, recently lost a tooth over the summer.
The journey to Hollywood
Seth's journey to "Abbott Elementary" wasn't a typical summer break activity for most second graders, but his path into acting has been unfolding since he was very young. His mom, Lindsey Moore, a Restorative Practice Facilitator at Farmington Public Schools, noticed his unique talent when Seth was just a toddler.
"When Seth was 3 years old, my mom was homeschooling him, and she drew attention to how much detail he put into pretending," Moore said. "He would do Michael Jackson impersonations and work diligently to get every gesture and movement just right."
By age 5, her son had already expressed his desire to be on stage.
"One day, he came to me and said, 'I'm supposed to be on a stage with people clapping,'" Moore said.
From there, the family decided to take Seth's talents seriously, enrolling him in acting classes and eventually signing with a talent agency. This past June, he participated in the International Presentation of Performers showcase, where his talent caught the attention of 19 agents and managers. After careful consideration by the family, the 7-year-old signed with an agent who helped him navigate the auditions that led to his "Abbott Elementary" role.
Summer on set
Moore's appearance on "Abbott Elementary" was the culmination of a summer packed with acting workshops, auditions and callbacks. The process for landing the role began with him submitting a self-tape audition, a common practice in the industry. About two weeks later, he was at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, ready to roll.
"I was shocked and excited (to get the part). I was not nervous at all when I found out, but I was a little nervous once I got to Warner Bros to shoot. I dance before going on set, and then I'm not nervous anymore," he said.
A week prior to filming, Seth sent his clothing and shoe sizes to the show's wardrobe department so his costume was ready for him on the day of the shoot.
Once it was time to film his scene, Seth had a 30-minute rehearsal with the cast. He was then mic'd up and officially ready to do live shoots. Ultimately, Seth's scene took about two and a half hours to film. Afterward, he relaxed, had lunch and enjoyed the set.
"It took about 20 tries to get it just right," he said. "I had to say the line 'My tooth came out in this nugget,' and I kept messing it up. I was saying things like, 'my teeth, my tath, toth,' and it made everyone laugh."
He said having lost his own tooth that summer played into his role.
"My tooth came out in real life earlier in the summer and this role was about my tooth coming out at school, so I tried to remember how I felt when my tooth actually did come out," he said.
A star among stars
Working alongside the star-studded cast of "Abbott Elementary" was a thrill for the young actor, who got to interact with Quinta Brunson, the show's creator and star.
"I kept saying to myself, 'I love this,'" Seth said.
His school friends were equally excited about their classmate's big break.
"My friends were shocked and happy," Seth said. "Some of them didn't believe me when I told them at first, but now they do."
What's next for Seth?
With "Abbott Elementary" under his belt, Seth's acting career is just getting started.
"He has a big audition for Disney soon," Moore said, adding that the family is excited about the future, but are taking things one step at a time. Seth, though, is eager for the next gig, she said. "The goal of actors is always to get bookings, and this has always been Seth's dream. He is excited to see what's next."
