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Black-ish creator Kenya Barris was slammed with criticism for his upcoming Netflix film You People.
On Dec. 5, negative commentary about the film flooded Twitter shortly after Netflix shared the trailer for the upcoming project. Co-written by Barris and Jonah Hill, You People follows Hill’s awkward character Ezra Cohen as he tries to win over his Black girlfriend’s parents, played by Nia Long and Eddie Murphy.
The film explores the challenges of interracial dating and the cultural expectations and differences that can occur. Unfortunately, as the trailer began circulating on Monday, some fans weren’t too impressed with the film’s plot. Twitter lit into Barris, noting how interracial relationships and bi-racial characters appear to be an ongoing theme in many of his previous projects.
Social media slams Kenya Barris
On Twitter, some users accused the famous director of having a “bi-racial obsession,” according to The Shade Room.
“If kenya barris doesn’t do anything else, he’s going to subject us to the biracial plight,” wrote one Twitter-goer named @imnotchase.
“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.”
Another user slammed Barris for having a “wildly sick fetish with mixed folks.”
“That man’s work is so anti-Black,” the user named @WoomyM_ added.
One angry Twitter goer wrote that they were tired of hearing Barris tell the “same mediocre story” over and over again, urging for the Mixed-ish creator to bring new content to the writer’s room.
“Meanwhile, Black creatives with fresh and groundbreaking ideas can’t even get they foot in the door.”
Other naysayers joked that Barris may be closely related to the Lovings, the interracial couple who helped win the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case that made interracial marriage legal in the U.S.
A few critics had a bone to pick with Barris about the casting decision. Some people were baffled as to why Lauren London was cast to play Long and Murphy’s daughter in the film.
Barris has yet to speak out about the controversy, but it will certainly be interesting to hear what he has to say about the criticism. You People will officially premiere on Netflix on Jan. 27, 2023. City Girls star Yung Miami and comedian Mike Epps will also appear in the film.
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