Prolific filmmaker Kenya Barris is being bombarded with hate messages by movie and TV fans expressing disgust over Barris’ alleged obsession with the plight of mixed-race Blacks.
Twitter was set ablaze after the trailer for the much-anticipated comedy “You People” was unveiled. The Netflix film stars comic legend Eddie Murphy along with Nia Long as parents who are vexed that a White man, played by Jonah Hill, wants to marry their daughter, played by Lauren London.
Social media seems repulsed by the writer, director and producer’s propensity to craft movie and TV fare that revolves around the foibles and tribulations of interracial relationships and mixed-race people.
Some fans made reference to the now-defunct “Mixed-ish” show and the polarizing Netflix series “BlackAF” starring biracial actress Rashida Jones who played his on-screen wife. That show also suffered a quick and unceremonious demise.
The attention paid to You People has eclipsed some of Barris’ other upcoming projects that include the show “Old-ish,” another spinoff from the award-winning show “Black-ish” that will star luminaries Laurence Fishburne and Jenifer Lewis. The soon to be released projects follow the other spinoffs “Grown-ish” and “Black AF.”
i hope kenya barris eventually heals from whatever happened to him that has him feeling the need to make every project he does defend interracial relationships and being biracial. cause at this point i’m starting to think his ancestors were THE loving v. virginia
— brie. (hyperbolically) (@briebxrries) December 5, 2022
The one thing Kenya Barris is going to do is give us an interracial storyline in a movie no one asked for that's literally a copy and paste of his previous movies and TV shows with outdated themes/jokes and nothing new to say#YouPeople https://t.co/gkqa5NkW4r
— Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) December 5, 2022
if kenya barris doesn’t do anything else, he’s going to subject us to the biracial plight. nothing else, nothing more.
he’s given us biracials in space. biracials on a boat. biracials in the big city. biracials on the farm. holiday biracials. biracials get a job. biracials-
— Blue Ivy’s Executive PA (@imnotchase) December 5, 2022
Nia Long is 53. Lauren London is 38. Its a stretch that Nia Long is playing her mother.
Jonah Hill looks like he is 48. Also in what world would he pull Lauren London 👀#YouPeople #KenyaBarris Can we stop doing these awkward interracial meet the parents movies? It’s been done! pic.twitter.com/93KpMwVOPq— Rob Anthony (@MrRobAnthony) December 7, 2022
The one thing Kenya Barris is going to do is give us an interracial storyline in a movie no one asked for#YouPeople https://t.co/gkqa5NBZ6r
— Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) December 5, 2022
Considering how he cast Eddie Murphy and Nia Long, Kenya Barris finally might be moving away from his little light-bright casting fascination. #YouPeople
— Dr. Aconcagua (@Dia_Speaks101) December 6, 2022
I had no idea so many folk are sick of Kenya Barris #YouPeople
— Javon Parris (@jeaparris) December 6, 2022
