“Black-ish” isn’t just Emmy bait — it’s also lawsuit bait.
Kenya Barris, creator of the acclaimed ABC sitcom, has been hit with a $1 million suit by his former director pal for allegedly stealing the show idea, according to court documents obtained by
Deadline.
Music video director Bryan Barber — who says he and the creator became college friends in 1996 and formed a partnership in 2006 — claimed in the papers Barris “hijacked” an untitled script they’d developed based on Barber’s own life.
“The Original Untitled Script was premised on Plaintiff’s idea for a television show about the black experience as seen through the lens of a successful, creative and affluent black man working in the predominantly white entertainment industry,” he wrote.
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“Plaintiff’s idea was based on his own life experiences, which he had shared with Barris in confidence and with the understand that Plaintiff intended to exploit it commercially in partnership with Defendant Barris.”
Based on that script, he alleges, Barris wrote, developed and shopped around the “Black-ish” pilot unbeknownst to him sometime between the end of 2006 and September 2014.
Barber, who directed Terrence Howard’s 2006 drama “Idlewild,” drew a litany of parallels between his script and the hit show with respect to characters, plot, mood and dialogue.
(Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Peabody Awards)
(Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Kenya Barris (l.) is accused by his former pal Bryan Barber (r.) of stealing the idea behind "Black-ish."
He further named “Black-ish” executive producer Larry Wilmore’s company, Wilmore Films, as well as Principato-Young Entertainment and Cinema Gypsy Productions, as defendants.
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A rep for Barris did not immediately return a Daily News request for comment.
“Black-ish,” which returns for its third season Sept. 21, is nominated for outstanding comedy series at this year’s Emmy Awards on Sept. 18. Stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross are also up for outstanding lead actor and actress.
Barris, meanwhile, signed a movie deal with 20th Century Fox earlier this week, Deadline reported
at the time.