When did Quinta Brunson file for divorce from Kevin Anik? Abbott Elementary star clarifies she did not announce the news

Abott Elementary actress Quinta Brunson recently opened up about not going public with the news of her divorce from Kevin Anik in a conversation with Bustle dated June 30, 2025.

According to PEOPLE's report dated March 2025, Brunson filed for divorce from Anik on March 19, 2025. As per the court documents, the actress cited "irreconcilable differences" and listed the date of separation as "TBD" (To Be Determined). Brunson married Anik, an employee of California's legal cannabis industry, in October 2021.

In her divorce filing, Quinta Brunson mentioned that she and Kevin Anik had a postnuptial agreement in place, which governed the "disposition of their property" and requested that the parties take responsibility for their separate attorney's fees.

During her interview with Bustle, Brunson admitted that she was not ready to share the news of her divorce. Commenting about how she wanted to protect her privacy, the actress mentioned:

“I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce.' I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move... It’s just that that’s public record information.”

Quinta Brunson also commented on a viral 2024 tabloid story about a house she had purchased, saying that she hated all of it.

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Why is Quinta Brunson stepping away from podcasts? Details explored

Apart from talking about being discontent with her divorce being publicized, Quinta Brunson put forth her two cents about podcasts. Standing by being at unease with long-form interviews, an opinion she gave on Marc Maron's WTF podcast in 2022, the actress said:

“I think I’m good in private situations, one-on-one, but every time I do a podcast, something bad happens.”

Agreeing to Who? Weekly's definition of a phenomenon called "podcast mouth", Quinta Brunson said that she is officially done with podcasts. She added that her appearance on Amy Poehler's Good Hang With Amy Poehler in April 2025 was her last. Bustle described podcast mouth as the false intimacy between a guest and host, which makes it easy to forget that the conversation and platform are public.

It appears that Brunson's discontent toward podcasts stems from her comment on Bon Jovi on Good Hang With Amy. During the podcast, Quinta Brunson was asked a question given by her best friend Kate Peterman concerning if she knew the difference between Bon Jovi and Jon Bon Jovi.

While she made it clear that she knew the difference between the two, Brunson said:

"See, I don't know white people. I know you, I know Tina Fey, I know... that's it. I know white people in comedy, okay? I just like don't know some people, I understand the name Phil Collins, I don't know what Phil Collins look like. If they're not in comedy truly, I don't know."

Brunson's comment led to the clip going viral on the internet, with netizens making memes, some positive and some negative.

In her conversation with Bustle, Quinta Brunson also addressed how she had gotten better at dealing with online opinions. She said that they were like "invisible voices" that are not one's friends, not present in one's personal life, or existing in anyone's home.

“I love my fans, I love the people who watch Abbott. So you want to hear them, and you want to listen to them, but when it comes to matters of your personal life and decisions you make, you do have to tune it out.” Brunson added.

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Quinta Brunson first starred in Abbott Elementary as Janine Teagues, a second-grade teacher, in 2021. She has also co-written the series.

Without being too specific on what she plans to do, Brunson told Bustle that she was looking to move away from being typecast in "teacher" and "Janine" roles and is waiting for a worthy script.