Tracy Oliver facts for kids

Tracy Yvonne Oliver is a talented American writer, producer, director, and actress. She is known for creating fun and exciting stories for both movies and TV shows. Tracy first became known for acting in a web series called The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl. Later, she became a successful writer for popular TV comedies and big movies.

Tracy Oliver made history with the movie Girls Trip. She was the first African-American woman to write a film that earned over $100 million at the box office. This huge success showed her amazing skill in storytelling.

Tracy Oliver's Journey

Tracy Oliver grew up in South Carolina. She went to Stanford University, where she studied American studies and drama. She hoped to become an actress, but she found that the roles she was offered were not very interesting.

Starting Out in Entertainment

While at Stanford, Tracy met Issa Rae in a drama class. They worked together on projects, which was the start of their creative partnership. After Stanford, Tracy went to the USC School of Cinematic Arts. She earned a Master's degree in 2010, focusing on producing for film, television, and new media.

After finishing her studies, Tracy created a theater group called Black Stage. She also acted in Issa Rae's web series, The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, from 2011 to 2012. In this series, Tracy played Nina, a main character. She also helped write and produce the show.

Tracy wrote a movie script called Marriage Is for White People. She wrote it because she noticed that many romantic comedy movies didn't show enough people of color. This script caught the eye of a producer named Dan Fogelman. Soon, Tracy was hired as a writer for the ABC TV show The Neighbors, which ran from 2012 to 2014. After that, she became a writer and story editor for the TV series Survivor's Remorse.

Big Success in Movies

Tracy Oliver teamed up with Kenya Barris, who created the show Black-ish. Together, they wrote the comedy film Barbershop: The Next Cut in 2016. This movie starred famous actors like Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer. It was well-liked by critics and earned $55 million.

Tracy and Kenya then co-wrote Girls Trip in 2017. This movie featured a fantastic cast including Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish. Girls Trip was a huge hit! It earned over $140 million worldwide. This made Tracy Oliver the first African-American woman to write a film that grossed over $100 million.

More Projects and Directing

Tracy worked with Kenya Barris again on the 2019 film Little. She co-wrote the movie and also helped create its story. Her first movie where she was the only writer was The Sun Is Also a Star in 2019. This film was based on a popular novel by Nicola Yoon. Tracy also helped produce this movie.

Tracy was the main writer and producer for the BET+ TV series First Wives Club. This show was based on a 1996 movie and featured an all-black lead cast, including Jill Scott, Ryan Michelle Bathe, and Michelle Buteau. The first season, which aired in 2019, was praised by critics. All the episodes were directed by women. Tracy even directed one episode herself, which was her first time directing.

Tracy Oliver is also the creator, writer, and producer for the Amazon Studios TV series Harlem. This comedy show stars Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, and Shoniqua Shandai.

Future Plans and Recognition

There are plans for a follow-up movie to Girls Trip, and Tracy has already written some ideas for it. She is also reported to be writing a new version of the classic 1995 film Clueless.

In 2020, Tracy Oliver was included on the Ebony Power 100 List, which celebrates influential African-Americans. In 2021, she signed a special agreement with Apple through her company, Tracy Yvonne Productions. This deal means she will create many new projects for Apple.

Tracy Oliver also runs her own production company, called Tracy Yvonne Productions.

Filmography

Television

Film

Notes