2 weeks ago
EXCLUSIVE: Apple TV is processing American Comfort (working title), a psyche nutrient edifice drama from black-ish creator Kenya Barris, Oprah Winfrey and Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment, Deadline has learned. Oscar and Emmy nominee Danielle Brooks is group to prima and executive nutrient successful nan project, inspired by nan life communicative of restaurateur Melba Wilson, which landed astatine Apple TV successful a competitory situation, I hear.
Written and executive produced by Barris, American Comfort explores nan heart, joke and hospitality that has transformed Wilson’s eponymous Harlem edifice Melba’s from a vicinity eatery into a psyche nutrient landmark profoundly embedded into nan taste cloth of its organization for complete 20 years.
Brooks will play nan lead characteristic Melba, proprietor of nan legendary Harlem psyche nutrient edifice wherever nan show is set.
Kenya Barris and Leyah Barris executive nutrient vis his Khalabo Ink Society alongside Winfrey and Carla Gardini for Harpo Entertainment, Kaplan for Kapital Entertainment, Wilson and Neema Barnette arsenic good arsenic Aisha Summers-Burke for BET Studios, a explanation of CBS Studios, wherever Barris is 1 of nan founding main partners. Jaiden Kaplan and Dylan Hammalian will co-executive nutrient for Kapital Entertainment, arsenic good arsenic Jill McGrath astatine Door 24 and Lauren Tuck astatine Harpo. Kapital Entertainment and Apple are nan studios.
The task reunites Barris pinch Kaplan who was nan drama writer-producer’s supplier astatine WMA. The 2 besides collaborated connected a brothers drama which was set up astatine CBS past twelvemonth with Barris and Mike Epps attached to star.
Kaplan and Winfrey executive produced together nan 2023 Hulu bid Black Cake.
Brooks, an Oscar nominee for The Color Purple, recently starred other John Cena successful Season 2 of HBO Max’s Peacemaker, earning a 2026 Critics Choice Award nomination. In features, the Orange Is nan New Black alumna stars successful nan indie If I Go, Will They Miss Me, which premiered astatine nan 2026 Sundance Film Festival. She besides starred other Jack Black and Jason Momoa successful A Minecraft Movie and voiced Kitty Kat in The Bad Buys 2. She is repped by CAA and Jill McGrath astatine Door 24.
Harlem autochthonal Wilson is simply a James Beard Award–nominated chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur whose flagship Melba’s Restaurant has expanded to aggregate locations including Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, and Newark’s Prudential Center. She is besides a media personality, author, and philanthropist. Wilson is repped by Hall PR.
Barris, creator/executive shaper of ABC’s Emmy-nominated drama black-ish and its offshoots, has Diarra From Detroit, which is returning for a 2nd play connected Paramount+. He besides precocious executive produced The Vince Staples Show for Netflix and produced nan Amazon sports drama movie The Underdoggs. Khalabo Ink Society’s improvement slate includes Get Lite starring Storm Reid, which would people Teyana Taylor’s characteristic directorial debut; a Richard Pryor constricted bio series; a remake of It’s A Wonderful Life; a documentary connected nan life and profession of rapper Chief Keef; and a characteristic starring viral comedian Druski based connected his caller original short The Diggers. Barris is repped by WME, LBI Entertainment and Yorn Levine Barnes.
