Tracy Oliver

Tracy Y. Oliver is an American film and television writer, producer, director, and actor. Oliver originally starred in the web series The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, before serving as a staff writer on ABC's The Neighbors and STARZ's Survivor's Remorse. Oliver has co-written three movies: Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016), Girls Trip (2017), and Little (2019), with Girls Trip making her the first African-American woman to write a film that grossed over US$100 million.[1] Oliver also created and wrote the BET television series First Wives Club and wrote the screenplay to the 2019 film adaptation of The Sun Is Also a Star.[2] Oliver also runs a production company, Tracy Yvonne Productions.[3]

Tracy Y. Oliver
NationalityAmerican
Alma materStanford University

Career

Oliver started her career shortly after attending Stanford University and USC Film School, where she double majored in American studies and drama. along with creating the black theater company Black Stage.[4][5] She portrayed Nina, the antagonist to Issa Rae's "J", in Rae's 2011-12 web series The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl.[5] In addition to acting in Awkward Black Girl, Oliver also served as a writer and producer.[5] Oliver wrote and circulated a spec script for a movie called Marriage Is for White People.[4] The script got the attention of Dan Fogelman, who then hired her as a staff writer on ABC's The Neighbors.[4] Oliver then became a staff writer and story editor on STARZ's Survivor's Remorse.[6][4]

Oliver partnered with Black-ish creator Kenya Barris to write the comedies Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016), starring Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer. The movie received positive reviews and grossed $55 million on a budget of $20 million. Oliver and Barris then co-wrote Girls Trip (2017), starring Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish.[1] Girls Trip received positive reviews and grossed over $140 million worldwide, making Oliver the first African-American woman to write a film that grossed over $100 million.[1]

She re-teamed with Barris on the 2019 film Little, which he co-produced and she co-wrote; she also received a "story by" credit.[7] She also wrote the screenplay of the 2019 film The Sun Is Also a Star, based on Nicola Yoon's novel.

Oliver also created and wrote the BET television series First Wives Club.[2] Oliver also directed an episode of the show, making her directorial debut.

Oliver will be serving as creator, writer, and executive producer of an Amazon Studios, as yet untitled, half-hour television series.[8] The series will be a single camera comedy starring Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson and Shoniqua Shandai.[9] Malcolm D. Lee, who directed Girl's Trip, will direct the first two episodes.[9]

A follow-up to Girl's Trip is reportedly in the works, with Oliver having written a treatment for it.[10] Oliver has also been reported to be writing a reboot to Clueless.[11]

Oliver was included on the 2020 Ebony Power 100 List.[12]

References
  1. "'Girls Trip' screenwriter Tracy Oliver talks making movie history". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. Lopez, Kristen. "Tracy Oliver Brings The Past Back With 'First Wives Club' And More". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  3. "BET Networks Partners With Tracy Oliver's Production Company, Tracy Yvonne Productions, on the Return of "PROJECT CRE8"". www.businesswire.com. 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  4. Obenson, Tambay (2019-05-16). "'Girls Trip' Screenwriter Tracy Oliver Has a Winning Strategy: Show Nerve". IndieWire. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  5. "Writer Tracy Oliver Opens Up About Issa Rae, 'First Wives Club' And Her Real 'Girls Trip'". Essence.com. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  6. "Tracy Oliver Rewrites the Script for Her Career". Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  7. Harriot, Michael (January 9, 2019). "#BlackGirlMagic: Black-ish Star Marsai Martin Set to Become Youngest Executive Producer in Hollywood History". The Grapevine. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  8. Jacobs, Meredith. "Amazon Studios Announces Cast for Untitled Tracy Oliver Project". TV Insider. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  9. "Tracy Oliver Sets Main Cast for Amazon Comedy Series, Reunites With 'Girls Trip' Director Malcolm D Lee". TheWrap. 2020-01-14. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  10. Lattanzio, Ryan (2020-03-29). "Tiffany Haddish Says She and Her 'Girls Trip' Co-Stars Are Blazing Ahead on a Sequel". IndieWire. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  11. Harris, Hunter (2019-06-19). "Little's Tracy Oliver Is Rewriting All Your Favorite Movies. Clueless Is Next". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  12. #teamEBONY (2020-02-26). "2020 EBONY POWER 100 LIST". EBONY. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
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