Actress Gabrielle Union has teamed up with The Undefeated journalist, Kelley Carter, and former ESPN star and podcaster, Jemele Hill to produce a new half-hour scripted comedy series for Showtime.
New Money is based on a story that Hill and her college best friend, Carter, wrote about Black women with financial independence and all the highs and lows that come with it. The two friends, who are Detroit natives, have a production company called Lodge Freeway Media named after a highway in their hometown.
Read More: Jemele Hill not ready to ‘turn the other cheek’ with some Trump supporters
Deadline broke the news yesterday, and in sharing the announcement on Twitter, Hill said, “Very overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support. So rewarding to be able to embark on this journey with @KelleyLCarter and @itsgabrielleu … let’s get it!!!”
Carter has been hosting a virtual talk show called Another Act on The Undefeated where she has been interviewing notable Black stars. Her most recent guest was Debbie Allen. Past guests have included Jay Ellis, Jamie Foxx, and Taraji P. Henson.
Hill currently writes for The Atlantic and hosts a Spotify podcast called Jemele Hill is Unbothered. She also co-hosts Cari & Jemele (Won’t) Stick to Sports on Vice TV with Cari Champion.
She went viral last week when she said she was unwilling to “turn the other cheek,” to supporters of President Donald Trump, of whom she has been highly critical.
“A lot of us have been terrorized. We’ve been on the receiving end of a lot of hatred, a lot of vitriol. I’ve been a professional journalist since 1997. I’ve been getting hate mail since I was in college. Nothing has been like it has been like the past four years, particularly after I called out the president,” Hill said.
Read More: Jemele Hill and Cari Champion tackle Black female friendships on ‘Red Table Talk’ (EXCLUSIVE)
“Now I realize that does not necessarily mean that all Trump supporters are that hateful or that vitriolic but this idea that we need to turn the other cheek, hell no. So, I say this with all the disrespect. F–k y’all,” she said, raising both middle fingers.
Union, who is currently starring in L.A.’s Finest, will produce New Money under her I’ll Have Another Productions company and Sony Pictures where her company has a first-look deal. She also shared her excitement on social media with a “Let’s goooooooooooo!” celebratory tweet.
Being Mary Jane writer and producer Patrik-Ian Polk, also a co-producer on P-Valley, has signed on to write the series.
According to Deadline, “The show is centered around Black women who have solidified their careers, achieved financial independence and moved past the awkwardness and money struggles of their twenties. Now firmly in their 30s, the ladies must deal with the repercussions their “new money” brings, including hangers-on, false friends, unwanted media attention, and greedy relatives– while also navigating the treacherous world of dating.”
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