Kenya Barris Defends Rashida Jones' Role In '#BlackAF'

Black-Ish creator Kenya Barris‘ new Netflix comedy series #BlackAF has earned him critical acclaim, and Twitter backlash. Many on social media are calling out the series for colorism, particularly in regards to the casting of the role of Barris’ wife, played by Rashida Jones.

Now, the television mogul is responding to the criticism on T.I.’s podcast expediTIously.

RELATED: Kenya Barris Talks To BET.com About #BlackAF And His Relationship With Critics

“This is based on my family, so there’s a version of, you know, she’s playing a version of my wife, who’s biracial,” Barris says. “She is playing a version of that character. My kids, what [Rashida Jones] and I could produce, looks like those kids, who are amazing. … I think everyone’s experience and everyone’s opinion in terms of colorism are real and I understand that.”

He continues, “I was trying to duplicate a version of what my family was.”

Barris does emphasize that he understands where the criticism is coming from. “It speaks to the idea that there is so much colorism in the world. … So I take the good with the bad,” he says.

Watch the full interview below. The comments about #BlackAF start at around the 10:00 mark: