Kenya Barris, the creator of the hit comedy series “Black-ish”, is a celebrated name in the American television industry. With years of experience in writing and producing television shows, Barris has earned himself a lot of fame and recognition for his work.
Born in 1971, Barris was raised by his parents Billie and George Barris. He graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in cinema production where he also wrote and directed his own short film.
Barris wrote for various television shows such as “The Jamie Foxx Show”, “Girlfriends” and “The Game” beore creating his own show titled “Black-ish” which premiered on ABC in 2014. The show follows the Johnson family who struggles to maintain their African-American identity while living in an affluent neighborhood.
Barris has been praised for his work on “Black-ish” winning multiple awards including two Emmy nominations, four NAACP Image Awards and a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy Series. He has also won several awards for writing including Peabody Award for Excellence in Television Writing and Humanitas Prize for 90 Minute TV Category.
In 2018, Barris signed an overall deal with Netflix worth $100 million which made him one of the highest-paid writers/producers working in Hollywood at that time. He created several shows under this deal including “#blackAF” and “Rutherford Falls” which were both well received by critics.
Despite all his success, it was recently reported that Barris had filed for divorce from Dr. Rania “Rainbow” Barris after more than 20 years of marriage. Yara Shahidi had just finished four seasons on “Grown-ish”, Freeform’s college-set “Black-ish” spinoff but was ready to step back as the main star to focus more on her role as an executive producer.
It is apparent that Kenya Barris is one of the most talented writers/producers out there today who has created some of the most successful television shows ever aired on American television networks. We can only hope to see more great work from him in the future!
Are Kenya and Rainbow Barris Still Married?
No, Kenya and Rainbow Barris are no longer married. The couple filed for divorce in August 2020 after more than two decades of marriage. The two have three children together, two daughters and one son. Kenya and Rainbow have both expressed their commitment to co-parenting their children and remain on friendly terms.
Source: npr.org
Yara Shahidi’s Departure From ‘Black-ish’
Yara Shahidi left her starring role in “Black-ish” after four seasons in order to focus more on her role as executive producer. She had finished many of the storylines created for her character Zoey and wanted to take a step back from her main star role and dedicate more time to producing. She has since expanded her production work, executive producing two upcoming projects for Freeform and Hulu.
Cancellation of Netflix Series ‘BlackAF’
BlackAF was cancelled by Netflix after one season due to a mismatch between creator Kenya Barris’ vision for the show and what the streaming service wanted. Barris wanted the show to be edgy and unconventional, but Netflix wanted it to be more commercial. As a result, the two parties could not find common ground and the show was ultimately cancelled.
Conclusion
Kenya Barris, the creator of “Black-ish,” has experienced a shift in his career and personal life recently. After 20 years of marriage, he and his wife have filed for divorce. Additionally, his daughter Yara Shahidi stepped back from the show to focus on her role as an executive producer. Finally, the publication states that Barris’ marriage to Netflix had been imperfect because neither side was willing to meet expectations. It is clear that this is a difficult time for Barris; however, he can take solace in the knowledge that he created a successful show with lasting cultural impact.
