HBO has put in development Bros, a comedy from director Anthony Hemingway (Red Tails) and TV production executive-turned-producer Mark Taylor’s Hemingway | Taylor shingle and Dear White People producer Lena Waithe.
Written by Ben Cory Jones (Hand Of God) loosely based on his real life as a gay black man with his non-gay brothers, Bros centers on three African-American brothers — two straight and one gay — who are each dealing with love and dating. Hemingway and Taylor executive produce, Jones and Waithe co-executive produce.
Jones originally wrote the project on spec and gave the script to Hemingway. Then titled Bros Before Hos, the comedy shot a presentation this year that starred Dijon Talton (Glee), Kevin Phillips (Red Tails), Tuffy Questell (How To Make It In America), Dana Sorman (Harry’s Law), Nia Jervier (Dear White People) and Kristofer Gordon. Here is a trailer; you can watch the full presentation below the post.
“Bros Before Hos isn’t a black story or a gay story — it’s a family story about three brothers, who happen to be black, and one who happens to be gay,” Jones said in an online interview during the filming of the presentation. “There seem to be more stories that deal with the interior lives of black women, but it’s hard to find stories that deal with the interior lives of black men. We’re either thugs or athletes, but there’s so much more to who we are that falls in between that spectrum. It’s ironic that in 2014, and even with a black president, one of the hardest things to be in this country right now is a young black man.”
In the same interview, Hemingway said that “this kind of material resonates deeply within both Mark and I as African-American men, as production friendly filmmakers and as industry professionals. We both know so many people, not just African-Americans, who question why there isn’t more programming that reflects the growing diversity of the American experience, so it’s incredibly satisfying to be a part of something that might otherwise be overlooked or ignored.”
In addition to directing the 2012 feature Red Tails, about a group of African-American United States Army Air Forces servicemen during World War II, Hemingway has directed the pilot for the Starz series Power and episodes of HBO’s Treme, The Wire and The Newsroom as well as Shameless, Orange Is The New Black and American Horror Story: Freak Show. He served as co-executive producer on Treme and the last season of The Newsroom.
Hemingway and Taylor are repped by WME and Hemingway’s attorney Tom Hoberman; Jones is repped by CAA and Fineman Entertainment; Waithe is repped by Paradigm and The Mission.
Bros Before Hos – Pilot Presentation from Anthony Hemingway on Vimeo.
Something Fresh & Original….looking forward!
If HBO’s development slate gets any gayer, Taylor Swift will start dating it.
You just won award of the century.
More gay from HBO? Give it a rest already.
they have “Looking” and this. two shows with gay characters is no cause for such alarm.
“Gay” isn’t going anywhere. Get used to it already.
It’s not a Gay story, it’s a story about brothers and their daily lives…… It’s about viewing a more authentic television.
very exciting!!
I saw the pilot presentation for this — it looks great. I can’t wait to see more!
This presentation looks terrible.
I like this. I like this a lot. May it have a long and successful run.
Hollywood is definitely pushing that gay black man agenda.
its not a gay agenda. Its just the untold story because we live in a society that things like this is too taboo to talk about.. Same thing with Sex and the City– which to told the story of women sexuality. And Weeds that told the story of A caucasian Soccer mom drug dealer. Same difference… you people who are against homosexuals are what make it so much an issue. have you ever wondered if you didnt pay so much attention to it and made it controversial that there would be a need to tell these stories?
Say what you want about the concept, but this presentation is really mediocre. Trailers are an easy way to show highlights in a sizzle, and this completely falls flat. Still, this looks better than “Survivor’s Remorse” (not that that’s saying anything).
What’s the relevance of pointing out the brothers are black? You posted a photo so everyone on Deadline is going to assume it’s about black people and thus dismiss it out of hand as is the natural order of things. It’s not a “black brothers” comedy. It’s just a comedy about a guy and his brothers.
I really enjoyed watching the presentation. I enjoyed girlfrends, and I will enjoy “Bros” I look foward to watching Bros on HBO. I will be sure to share with others….
This looks moderately well done and has some heart, which is something Looking is noticeably missing.
what no Lee Daniels in the mix? this looks terrible.