Matthew A. Cherry, the creator of the best-selling book Hair Love and Oscar-winning animated short of the same name, has recently signed a multi-year deal with Warner Bros Television. He’s set to develop comedies, dramas, and event series with the leading studio, while also working with streaming platforms including HBO Max.
The former professional football player began working as a production assistant back in 2007 for Black sitcoms like Girlfriends and The Game. Since, he’s directed episodes for popular series including Black-ish and Mixed-ish, The Last O.G., Whiskey Cavalier, and The Red Line. In addition to Hair Love, Cherry’s credits include his feature film The Last Fall, which premiered at SXSW in 2012. He also wrote and directed the 2016 drama 9 Rides, which made history as the first feature film to be entirely shot on an iPhone 6s in 4k.
In association with Warner Bros, Cherry will produce upcoming series through his company Cherry Lane Productions. “I am beyond excited to be joining the Warner Bros. Television family in this exciting new capacity,” Cherry told Deadline, who first reported the news. “It’s an important time to be a Black creative working in this industry, and I look forward to creating impactful projects and partnering with other talented marginalized voices in our community.”
