Kenya Barris, Creator of ‘Black-ish,’ to Leave ABC Studios

LOS ANGELES — Kenya Barris, the A-list writer and producer behind the comedy “black-ish,” will part ways with ABC Studios in August — three years before his contract was set to expire — following creative differences.

Barris, who also has a hot movie career as the co-writer of the script for “Girls Trip,” is widely expected to move to Netflix.

He thanked ABC Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Co., and said the production company “supported me every step of the way.”

“It’s been an incredible ride, including a Peabody and Golden Globe win, Emmy nominations and many other accolades,” Barris said in a statement. “They’ve allowed me to realize my dream of creating my own shows, and I’m so proud of the work we’ve done together.”

His frustration over creative matters involved the studio’s sibling network ABC, which is led by Channing Dungey and passed over pilot programs that Barris created.

Last year, the network moved “black-ish” out of a desirable prime-time slot after the top-rated “Modern Family.” The breaking point came in February, when ABC pulled an episode of “black-ish” that examined race relations in the United States in pointed fashion, airing a rerun instead.

A critical success, “black-ish” follows the Johnsons, an upper-middle-class family living in a mostly white suburb. The series became known for hot-button story lines centered on race, delving into police brutality, fallout from the election of President Donald Trump and the use of the N-word among children.

Freeform, a cable network owned by Disney, runs the spinoff “grown-ish,” which focuses on the Johnsons’ college-age daughter. A third comedy from Barris and his collaborators, “Besties,” will join the Freeform schedule in the coming months.

The departure of Barris was expected, but it represents another setback for the Disney-ABC Television Group, which is run by Ben Sherwood. Last year, Netflix poached Shonda Rhimes, creator of ABC hits like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.” This spring, “Roseanne” was canceled after its star, Roseanne Barr, was fired for posting a racist tweet.

Sherwood is expected to be replaced when Disney closes its $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox assets, which include one of Hollywood’s most successful TV studios. (He may get another perch inside Disney.)

Netflix declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for ABC Studios said late Friday that Barris “remains committed” to “black-ish,” “grown-ish” and the coming “Besties,” along with other projects he has in development. Even so, “black-ish” will now be run by Jonathan Groff, an executive producer, and Kenny Smith, who has recently been a co-executive producer.