Rodney Barnes is an American screenwriter and producer. Barnes is currently an executive producer/writer on HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty[1] and showrunner/writer/creator of Things That Make White People Uncomfortable, a TV show based on Michael Bennett’s book of the same name in development with John Wells at HBO Max. He was also recently named writer and executive producer on the Untitled Jack Johnson limited series (fka Unruly) HBO’s limited series project, set to star Mahershala Ali as boxing legend Jack Johnson. As part of his overall deal with HBO, he will bring a brand new take on adapting the PBS documentary Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, produced and directed by Ken Burns, and its companion book by Geoffrey C. Ward. Barnes previous writing and producing credits include The Boondocks, My Wife and Kids, Everybody Hates Chris, Those Who Can’t, Marvel’s Runaways, American Gods, and Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
The second arc of Rodney’s critically acclaimed graphic novel Killadelphia was released in August 2020, with a television show in development at Levantine TV, has been tapped to pen a creative feature for New Regency with Jordan Vogt-Roberts attached to direct, and is writing a miniseries based on the life of golf great Tiger Woods. As well, he has signed a two-year overall agreement to write, direct, and produce original content for HBO. He has also formed Zombie Love Studios, a graphic novel production studio that will both adapt and create original graphic novels published through Amazing Comics Publishing, Barnes’s publishing company. Currently, he writes Killadelphia for Image Comics and is scheduled to release new titles through Image Comics.
Aside from his work in the entertainment industry, Barnes actively participates on the speaking circuit, discussing his career, the media landscape, cultural/race issues, and comic book culture. He has earned top honors for his work from the Peabody Awards, American Film Institute, Writers Guild of America, BET Comedy Awards, and NAACP Image Awards.
He resides in Los Angeles.
