HBO Max Greenlights Sony Animation “Young Love” From Matthew A. Cherry

HBO Max Greenlights Sony Animation “Young Love” From Matthew A. Cherry

July 7th, 2020

Jerry Beck

HBO Max has ordered a 12-episode season of the all-new, 2D animated series, Young Love, based on the characters introduced in the Academy Award-winning short film, Hair Love from director Matthew A. Cherry and Sony Pictures Animation. The new series for HBO Max is created by Cherry, who will showrun with long-time animation creative Carl Jones (The Boondocks, Black Dynamite). The series will be executive produced by Blue Key Entertainment’s Monica A. Young (producer of Hair Love) along with Lion Forge Animation’s David Steward II and Carl Reed.

The all-new animated series Young Love expands on the family introduced in Hair Love. Filled with comedy and heart, Young Love is an honest look into the world of the Young family – including millennial parents Stephen and Angela, their daughter Zuri and her pet cat Rocky – as they juggle their careers, marriage, parenthood, social issues, and multi-generational dynamics all while striving to make a better life for themselves.

Hair Love centered around the relationship between an African-American father, his daughter Zuri, and the most daunting task a father could ever come across – doing his daughter’s hair for the first time. The short resonated with people everywhere, especially fathers who found themselves in similar situations.

“Hair Love struck a chord that is still resonating deeply with audiences of all ages,” said Billy Wee, SVP, Original Animation, HBO Max. “Matthew and Sony Animation’s creative voices are a welcomed addition to the HBO Max family and we can’t wait to bring this joyous story to the world.”

“I am beyond excited to continue telling the story of Stephen, Angela and Zuri and further explore the family dynamics of a young Black millennial family we established in our short film Hair Love as an animated series,” said Cherry. “Couldn’t ask for better partners in Sony Pictures Animation and HBO Max in helping us get Young Love out to the world.”

Said Karen Rupert Toliver, executive vice president of creative for Sony Pictures Animation and Oscar-winning producer of Hair Love, “It’s a privilege to continue our partnership with Matthew Cherry, who has a gift for tapping into meaningful stories that touch our hearts. I personally can’t wait to collectively laugh and cry with the Young family.”

About Matthew A. Cherry

Matthew A. Cherry, writer, co-director and producer of Hair Love won his first Academy Award for Best Animated Short in 2020. He also authored the New York Times Best Selling picture book which was inspired by his short film. Cherry began his entertainment career in 2007, after playing wide receiver in the National Football League. He worked as a production assistant on more than 40 commercials, and then earned his first directorial credit in 2008 on a music video featuring R&B artist Terry Dexter. He went on to direct more than 20 music videos for a wide variety of artists, including Michelle Williams featuring Beyoncé & Kelly Rowland, Snoop Dogg, Chloe x Halle, and many more. His first feature film, The Last Fall, debuted at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in 2012. His follow-up feature, the innovative 9 Rides, which was shot entirely with an iPhone 6s, premiered at SXSW in 2016. Cherry’s additional television credits include directing episodes of “Black-ish,” “Mixed-ish,” “The Unicorn,” “Saved by the Bell” and “The Last O.G.”

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.