HBO Max has announced that it has given a 12-episode season order to Young Love, a 2D animated series based upon director Matthew A. Cherry’s Academy Award-winning short film Hair Love.
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 animated series has been created by Cherry, who will serve as showrunner with Carl Jones (The Boondocks), and will expand on the characters from the short film; here’s the official synopsis…
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 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,” added Cherry. “Couldn’t ask for better partners in Sony Pictures Animation and HBO Max in helping us get Young Love out to the world.”
“It’s a privilege to continue our partnership with Matthew Cherry, who has a gift for tapping into meaningful stories that touch our hearts,” stated Karen Rupert Toliver, executive vice president of creative for Sony Pictures Animation and Oscar-winning producer of Hair Love. “I personally can’t wait to collectively laugh and cry with the Young family.”