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This interview contains discussions of eating disorders.
For years, Lisa Ann Walter has made us smile and laugh.
Walter has a lot of exciting projects in the works in addition to “Abbott Elementary.”
A big one is her partnership with Fiber One.
For Walter, this perfectly aligns with her own perspective towards diet culture, wellness, and body image.
How did that opportunity come about, and what about it resonated with you?
There were rampant eating disorders.
It’s what I’ve been saying.
I like what they talked about, and I love that they’re doing a giveaway.
Then, you’re able to eat the brownie and have a cinnamon coffee cake in the morning.
Personally, that’s when I start to lose it.
I don’t have to eat crazy in the morning.
We are too hard on ourselves, and, plus, I thought the spots were funny.
I think it should be all about moderation, really.
Nobody’s saying, “You let go, go hog wild.”
It’s better for your health if you venture to eat more plants.
I’m Sicilian mostly, and the other part is French, and both sides of the family cook.
I really love it.
I love eating vegetables, but that’s because I’m home right now.
We’re not shooting.
We are wrapped for the season.
I don’t always have time to cook those healthy choices.
During the pandemic, I was making homemade granola.
That was the snack.
I don’t have time to do that now.
That’s a great way to think about it.
I’ll have 40 wings."
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available.
You’re fine."
It works for maybe a week or a couple weeks or a month.
This is something my brand has been about for a number of years.
Who came up with size zero to begin with?
Who woke up one day and said, “I’d like to be nothing today.
That is my goal: to disappear.”
I love the idea of “fall off forgiveness” and not worrying so much about being perfect.
Perfection is unattainable, and people should stop putting that much pressure on themselves … truly.
We’re playing hockey."
I thought it was my son, like, hockey on the ice.
She was, like, “No, field hockey.”
It was pouring rain.
The mother in me kicks in.
I’m like, “You’re going out now to play hockey?”
She’s like, “I love it.
This is the time we meet, so I’m going to go do it.”
She’s a comic, a younger one, and in good shape, but not bone thin.
She’s a healthy girl.
That’s the way we’ve got to do it.
My parents were from New York my mom from Brooklyn, my dad from the Bronx.
I grew up in the D.C. area … Philly is right in the middle.
It’s a perfect blend of both.
The way they talk about it sounds very close to my Staten Island Italians and my Jersey Italians.
Jersey borders it, and some of the accents are similar.
Whenever I’m in Philly, it’s very much a twist on how I grew up …
I can pick it up fine.
They’re my people.
From what I understand, the South Philly folks say I’m doing them proud.
It makes me feel really good that I’m acting it to their approval.
I have a teaching background myself.
Do you think that familiarity helped you nail your character?
Her whole life was about teaching, including to us at home.
There wasn’t a day where she wasn’t teaching me something …
I learned to read when I was 3, because my mother was brilliant.
You could take a nap, or you could read a book."
That’s how I learned to read [so early].
By kindergarten, I was reading third-grade books.
The teachers were still teaching letters, and I was bored.
I was bored, and I was trying to help the other kids.
Come up and teach it."
She was very much like Barbara Howard.
She’d hand me the chalk, and I’d go up and teach a subject.
She told me, “You should be a teacher.
You’re very good at this.”
I guess it’s genetic.
With acting and comedy, did you plan on a career in show biz?
I planned on it since I was five years old.
We did “Doe A Deer” in kindergarten.
I was the doe in “Doe A Deer.”
I decided, truthfully in high school, that I was going to do this.
I was like, “I always want to do this.
I went into it purposefully.
I went to Catholic University, and they had a very prestigious drama department.
You’re suited to this.”
It’s a little bit like having the teacher personality.
You are getting on stage.
It’s just your voice, and you’re telling an idea.
That’s what brought me to California, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Can you tell me about any upcoming projects?
I’m super excited about the partnership with Fiber One and “fall off forgiveness” …
I know the ads are going to make people laugh.
They’re really cute and very funny.
We’re going out with an unscripted series.
I’ve also got an animated series that is going into pitch deck mode as we speak.
I’ve written a movie …
I can’t keep up with all the things I’m doing.
I can’t only do one thing.
I have to create.
It’s in my DNA.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
