Janelle James became an instant fan-favorite when “Abbott Elementary” debuted in 2021. She was relatively new to the acting game when she joined the sitcom, having previously focused mainly on stand-up. But stepping into the role of the glamorous, rule-breaking school principal, Ava Coleman, brought her blunt humor and wide-eyed gags to a larger audience, earning her Emmy nominations for three years in a row and constant praise from critics. (Take her recent appearance on Variety‘s list of the 100 best TV performances of the 21st century, for example.)

In the beginning of the series, Ava came off as incompetent and uncaring, constantly causing problems for the Abbott Elementary teachers who liked to do things by the book. But there’s always been more to Ava than meets the eye, and by Season 4, she had truly proven herself as an advocate for her students and teachers, even if her methods are rather unorthodox.

So it was a real shocker when, in the March 19 episode “Audit,” Ava got fired. The school district caught wind that Abbott was accepting bribes — in the form of school supplies and resources — from the local golf course in exchange for keeping quiet about the course’s use of non-union labor and said that any teacher involved would be suspended. Though Janine (series creator Quinta Brunson), Gregory (Tyler James Williams), Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) and Jacob (Chris Perfetti) were all aware of the operation, Ava took the fall, eager to take a vacation while protecting her colleagues. However, the threat of suspension only applied to teachers, who are hard to fire because of their union protection. Principals are much easier to get rid of, and Ava was fired on the spot.

James spoke to Variety about the March 26 episode “Music Class” and what Ava’s life looks like beyond Abbott.

Season 4 has been big for your character, even before last week’s twist. She’s really stepped up and shown how good she can be at her job. How has it felt to grow with Ava over the years?

Season 1 Ava was — you know, I don’t even think it’s Season 1. I think it was Season 1, Episode 1 where she was her most egregious; after that, you already see little sprinkles of what she does with the kids and her rapport. Anyone who’s paying attention, who has rewatched, has seen the different ways that Ava was stepping up. Now, would Season 1 have taken the fall for the teachers? No. That’s definitely the growth. So it’s been amazing to see her arc. I feel like Ava has had the biggest arc of all the characters, so it has just been gratifying to play all the different flavors of this person.

How did you find out Ava was getting fired? Did you know at the beginning of the season?

I was told about it a week before. Quinta told me, because she wouldn’t do me like that to find out during the table read. I think that’s when you’re actually being fired, is when you find out at the table read, or so I’ve heard. So yeah, she told me a week before. I was like, do I still get paid? And she said yeah. I was excited, because I trust her and I trust the writers. I knew it would be for a reason and that it would lead to exciting developments.

So you’re not leaving the show, right?

One of our producers already said that I’ll be back, and I hate that [he didn’t leave it a surprise]. But I will be around in some capacity. But will I be back to the school? Who knows?

In this week’s episode, we see Ava killing it as a public speaker. She clearly has skills that could take her far away from public education, and she doesn’t want to beg for her job back, but she does seem a little conflicted. What’s going on in Ava’s mind when she goes home at night?

This is synonymous with the real people who work in the school system. They’re not there because they’re making so much money. They usually have other skills that they can take into another job and make more money. They’re there for the kids. And as far as what she goes through at night, I like that Ava just kept it moving. She’s in her head thinking about it as their loss. Like you said, she has other skills. She has other networks that she can make money from, that she was making money from, even while she was a principal, so she just stepped into those. And I guess we’ll find out in subsequent episodes whether she can be convinced to come back for the children, because that would be the only reason. It’s not for the money or the fame or the fun. So it’ll be interesting to see what she decides.

So you don’t think she’s just putting on a brave face in front of the teachers when she’s telling them how easily she’s moved on?

No. She’s onto the next, definitely. A brave face would be if she had nothing to back it up. She’s obviously killing it.

Ava thought she’d just get suspended instead of fired, but she was still trying to do a good thing for the teachers when she took the fall for accepting the golf course’s bribes. What do you imagine was going through her mind in the moment as it happened?

I thought it was cute: She thought she was getting a little vacation and also helping the teachers to not mar their records. If you get suspended, it’s a blemish on your record. And here you have Barbara, who a lot of people thought was going to step up, who probably has a pristine record for the 30 years she’s been teaching. So Ava’s like, why not let me take the fall and have a little vacation? And then she does get fired, and I think in that moment, she’s already thinking about what she’s going to do next. She takes it very calmly, and I like that about her.

Do you think she still would have done it if she’d known she could get fired for it?

Probably not. She would have figured out some more slick way to have it all work out, but it didn’t. She never slips, but sometimes she falls.

Now that she’s leaving behind Abbott, what happens with O’Shon (Matthew Law), the district IT rep she just went out with? Does he get left behind, too?

The date episode ended very nicely, so I think he’s still around. What I like about these guest characters that we have come in — and not just for Ava, we have Jacob’s brother and Barbara’s daughter come in — it’s not about them. It’s about how their existence and experience allow you to see a different side of the [main] character. So O’Shon is there to have Ava become more vulnerable. Her dad is there to give her closure, and to find out more about her background. And that’s been nice to play.

Do you think she’s ready to be in a real adult relationship? Is she ready to be in love?

I mean, why you saying it like that, though? I’m hearing some judgment!

She’s been playing the field for a while — there’s nothing wrong with that!

I think she’s ready to be ready. One date doesn’t change everything, but that was a lovely moment for her. And it’s not only being ready. It’s having the person be worth it. Meeting somebody that’s worth changing for.

I asked you during Season 1 if you had any goals for Ava, and you told me that no, she’s perfect as is. How would you answer that question now?

No, she’s not perfect. I would want all the things that have been happening to happen. I didn’t foresee it. I don’t know if Quinta did either. This character could have been very flat and one-note and still hilarious and a joke machine, but they decided to expand, and to trust me to convey all these different layers of her. I think she’s such a complex person, and so smart and amazing, and — yeah, still perfect.

This interview has been edited and condensed.