Kenya Barris stepped in front of a red curtain. Behind him, lights reflected the words ‘You People.’ With another spotlight on him, he discussed the new feature’s production. For him, this process started with cast member Jonah Hill’s collaboration. New York City’s glamorous Paris Theater screened his movie.
In an exclusive interview, Barris discussed his new romance film ‘You People’ (2023). Within the feature, a new couple and their families figure out contemporary love. Obstacles include generational differences and societal expectations. Netflix distributed the movie. Barris wrote, directed, and produced the comedic film
Interestingly, Barris revealed that he did not plan on writing a feature. However, screenwriting offered him a different opportunity Barris could write stories through his authentic perspective. He expanded, saying that he “loved the culture.” The screenplay expressed a love for Los Angeles.
The feature served as a LA time capsule. Barris compared it to films set in Manhattan. He looks into the audience and expresses jealousy for metropolitan character portrayals. Through his own characters and plot, he hoped to expose LA’s beauty and parallels Barris explained, “I’m in the hood, but I’m twelve minutes from Hollywood.” The film becomes a product of collaboration.
Barris discussed his close relationship with Jonah Hill. He met Hill in the early 1990s. The pair’s early conversations pertained to the entertainment industry. Eventually, their dialogue shifted to projects. According to Barris, “he liked the way we were talking.” The pair wanted to create a feature together. Of course, they had to decide on the genre.
According to Barris, Hill wanted to create a comedy. Barris wondered about the emotional versatility of a comedy. Then, he listed “the best actors, today:” Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Robert Downey Jr. He said that today’s top actors got their start from comedies. Barris agreed to a romantic-comedy feature.
He noted what the collaboration looked like. Both Barris and Hill brought each other drafts. Both brought aspects of their own cultural traditions. Hill made revisionary notes and added in jokes. In the interview, Barris said, “he’s brilliant when it comes to character stuff.” A pivotal production meeting used a similar structure.
The thirty-minute meeting turned into three hours. The pair discussed the dynamics of multicultural couples. Hill was once engaged to someone of a different cultural background. Within the interview, Barris noted that “the people around them were unwelcoming.” Soon after, the partners decided on a story involving a biracial couple and their family. He expands, “we wanted to do something like ‘love overcomes all.’ Such became ‘You People’s’ storyline.
Netflix wanted to add a cultural consultant to the team. Quickly, Barris rejected the idea. Both he and Hill grew up in the film’s respective cultures. Both experienced various cultural traditions. In the interview, Barris said, “there’s a difference between researching and witnessing it.” Both a rabbi and imam attended ‘You People’s’ production for religious accuracy.
