The Black Producers Who Are Dominating The Industry Right Now!

Producers are the backbone of Hollywood. From visualizing and executing ideas, producers help bring new and innovative ideas to the big screen — which is why it is so important to have a diverse crowd of head honchos to help produce thought-provoking films that resonate with audience members! With that in mind, we want to celebrate and recognize the impact of top Black producers in Hollywood. Here’s a short (and definitely not exhaustive) list of some of the greats shaking up the industry! 

1. Shonda Rhimes 

Love her or hate her, Shonda Rhimes has been a staying power in Hollywood for decades. She has created over 7 different television shows, including "Grey’s Anatomy", one of the longest-running shows currently on screen. Rhimes attended Dartmouth, where she joined the Black Underground Theater Association and wrote fiction in her spare time. These experiences led to her screenwriting for multiple films in Hollywood, including The Princess Diaries, and pitching ideas to networks that would end up becoming long-running series. To control and execute her vision, Rhimes created Shondaland, her production company that has produced some of her greatest hits. Currently, Shondaland has a deal with Netflix to produce unique content such as "Bridgerton" and, most recently, "Inventing Anna". 

2. James Lassiter and Will Smith

James Lassiter is Will Smith’s manager, as well as his production partner. Their partnership dates back to the 1980s, where the two attended the same high school together in West Philadelphia but didn’t know each other; Lassiter was a senior and Smith was a freshman. Lassiter was set to become a lawyer when his friend Jeff Townes became half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. The other half was young Will Smith. The group needed a manager, and Lassiter took the job. Since then, the duo has produced blockbuster hits such as I Am Legend, The Pursuit Of Happyness, and most recently the award-winning King Richard. 

3. Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry’s ascent to the top of the film industry was not an easy one. In his childhood, he dealt with both physical and sexual abuse, leading to suicide attempts. However, during his early-20s after watching an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show", he learned that the act of writing could often be a therapeutic activity to help clear the mental headspace. This inspired him to start writing. Perry’s first movie, The Diary of a Mad Black Woman, grossed $50.6 million, and led to him producing the Medea series which he is most known for. Perry's films are co-produced and distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment, but he maintains full ownership under the corporate name Tyler Perry Films. Oh, but he doesn't just have his own production company -- he has his own studio, located in Atlanta.

4. Ava DuVernay

Although Ava DuVernay is an A-list producer, she did not pick up a camera until she was 32. DuVernay was first interested in journalism, where she worked with CBS News and helped cover the O.J. Simpson murder trial. However, she became disillusioned with journalism and decided to move into public relations. In 2005, DuVernay decided to take $6,000 and make a short film based on her mother’s experiences entitled "Saturday Night Life", which toured on multiple festival circuits. She explored the documentary medium and continued to work on the side until the critical success of her first feature film, I Will Follow. Since then, DuVernay has produced and directed works such as Selma and A Wrinkle In Time. 

5. Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele got his start on the sketch comedy series Mad TV, joining it for its ninth season, where he met Keegan-Michael Key. Their chemistry led to the creation of "Key and Peele", which Peele’s production company, known as Monkey Paw Productions, helped produce. In 2017, he produced, directed, and wrote Get Out, a horror film that won several major awards. His production company now works with multiple big studios to produce other horror films, such as the recently produced NOPE.