Lisa Ann Walter shares first 'safe' moment in her career

When Abbott Elementary was given a fourth season renewal, Lisa Ann Walter said it was the first time in her acting career that she had truly felt "safe."

Despite being well-known for playing Chessy in the 1998 film The Parent Trap, the actress stated in an interview with People magazine that "being in a movie doesn't mean you're rich."

“I wasn’t a star. I was the woman that made you cry in The Parent Trap, and you’re still looking for a job the next week,” Walter explained. “So honestly, feeling safe? The season four pickup of Abbott.”

The actress revealed that she was able to afford to take her four kids on their first significant family vacation last summer—a trip to Italy—thanks to her role as teacher Melissa Schemmenti in the popular ABC sitcom.

“I had not been able to afford taking my kids on a vacation outside of taking them to the San Diego Zoo, or to go skiing locally,” she said. “This was the first time I was able to have everybody go on a trip.”

Despite having starred in numerous films, such as Bruce Almighty, My Life's Work, and Wildest Dream, Walter said that she “never felt like I was on rock solid, like, ‘I got this now. I could relax.’ Even when I did movies, it’s like, our job is just a job and then it stops.”

Walter co-stars with Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, and William Stanford Davis on the Emmy-winning show.