Our Diverse 100: Meet Kenya Barris, the ‘absolutely black writer’

As the mastermind behind ABC’s “black-ish,” Barris represents a new wave of Hollywood talent that the industry is beginning to pay attention to. He co-wrote his first film in 2016, “Barbershop: The Next Cut.” This Q&A is part of a special series examining diversity in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Read more profiles here.

Did you realize right away in your career that being a person of color in this industry was something you would have to learn to deal with?

I think for the first 10 years of my career it felt like it was going to be a hurdle. I think at a certain point I embraced that I was a black writer and tried to lean into the loopholes, lean into the lanes, lean into certain things that were given to me. And I think that’s what many of us have to do. You never really forget it. And now I would never not want to be a black writer. I’m a writer who in some ways, I can use the cliché, who happens to be black, sure, but I’m absolutely a black writer.

So who do you feel you’re writing for? In trying to reach a mainstream audience, and given some of the issues you’ve tackled on “black-ish,” do you feel those are conversations you’re having for a black audience or — 

They’re conversations I’m having for an audience. They’re absolutely not aimed at any audience in particular, other than an audience who would in some way, shape or form find this family interesting. And luckily, to this point, it’s been pretty widespread, the people who have caught on to what this family is and I hope that continues.

There was a lot of conversation and controversy around this year’s Academy Awards. Were you surprised by the nominations themselves?

I’m always surprised. I’ve spoken about this before, but I think our bigger concern needs to be not what films didn’t get nominated, but why didn’t we have more opportunities. And I think that goes for people of color, people with disabilities — in general I think we need to open up the playing field so we don’t look like we’re creating a diversity slot, which I don’t think would be good for anyone. There are absolutely some things that did not make sense to me, Idris Elba being one, that performance was transformative. And no offense, I thought it was a beautiful movie, but when “Brooklyn” can get a nomination, a pretty simple, straight-forward, very well-acted, very well-shot movie — was that an Oscar movie any more than people who are saying “Straight Outta Compton” should have been an Oscar movie?

If you were to be invited to join the motion picture academy, what would that mean to you?

I would absolutely want to join and have my voice heard. I think that’s something Cheryl Boone Isaacs is really trying to do, extend the membership so that you get a wider voting group. That’s one way to try to solve the problem and I really appreciate that. I do think the bigger issue is I don’t want to have more people voting and trying to skew it and kind of rig the system. I would like more opportunities. And it needs to be more in-your-face. 

READ MORE: Here are 100 people in Hollywood who could help fix the Academy’s diversity problem