How The Other Black Girl Executive Producers Turned the Office into a Horror Story
Sep 14, 2023
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Jordan Reddout and Gus Hickey, co-executive producers on Hulu's The Other Black Girl, chat about adapting the novel into a TV series and the challenges they faced. They explore sacrifices and perspectives in corporate America, discuss transformative experiences and representation in Patagonia, and share their favorite scenes. They express hope for a second season and call for listener feedback.
Maintaining a balance between comedy and tension in The Other Black Girl helps elevate the story and provides a realistic portrayal of the workplace.
The Other Black Girl explores the horror of the workplace by incorporating actual horror elements, highlighting the common experience of marginalized individuals feeling like they're in a horror movie at work.
Deep dives
The Other Black Girl: A Deep Dive into the Hulu Show
The podcast episode features an in-depth discussion about the new Hulu show, The Other Black Girl. Based on the hit novel by Zakia Delila Harris, the show revolves around Nella Rogers, an editorial assistant who is the only black woman working at a publishing house until a new assistant named Hazel arrives. The podcast explores the process of adapting the book for television and the tonal shifts in the series. It highlights the importance of showcasing different variations of black womanhood, including complex and sometimes unlikable characters. The episode also touches on the challenges of shooting certain scenes and the hope for a potential second season.
Balancing Comedy and Tension in The Other Black Girl
One of the key aspects discussed in the podcast episode is the balance between comedy and tension in The Other Black Girl. The executive producers emphasize that they wanted to maintain the comedic side of the series while dealing with heavy subject matter. They believe that adding humor helps elevate the story and provides a more realistic portrayal of the workplace. They also mention that the humor follows the emotional reactions of the main character, Nella, and reflects their own belief that laughter is necessary, even in difficult situations.
Exploring the Horror of the Workplace
The podcast delves into the unique concept of The Other Black Girl, which explores the horror of the workplace. The producers talk about how the show pushes the boundaries by incorporating actual horror elements into the workplace setting. They mention that the idea stems from the common experience of marginalized individuals feeling like they're in a horror movie at work. The podcast also highlights the importance of showing black female characters in different roles, including those who are complicated, unlikable, and even villainous. It celebrates the show's diverse cast and acknowledges the contributions of black women in the writers' room.
On a special episode of Still Watching, Jordan Reddout and Gus Hickey, co-executive producers on Hulu's new horror-comedy series The Other Black Girl chat with VF's Chris Murphy about the challenges of adapting a complicated novel into a television series.