Top 10 African-American Producers of 2023
In Hollywood, where conversations about the lack of diversity on screen are a constant, producers are often the key. When it comes to getting certain stories or talent noticed, producers are critical. But, when you think of the number of films that get released per year, there are simply not enough diverse projects, And that is often because there aren't enough producers interested in telling these stories. As representation increases behind the camera, particularly with producers, that is slowly changing. While it is an accomplishment to get any project produced and distributed, having multiple projects in the same year is really a special achievement. Even more remarkable is the number of producers who wear many hats, also serving as actor, director, or even writer on their projects.
So here's a look at ten Black producers who released multiple projects this year. This list is comprised of the best Black producers in the entire industry year in and year out.
JAMIE FOXX/ DATARI TURNER
THE BURIAL 92%, THEY CLONED TYRONE 95%, STORY AVE 96%
Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner produced three films this year that all received widespread acclaim from critics. Amazon’s The Burial and Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone were big hits. They Cloned Tyrone has a perfect 100% Audience score on Rotten Tomatoes while the indie drama Story Ave they produced premiered at SXSW earlier this year and was a success at the specialty box office in limited release. They rank number one in 2023.
RYAN COOGLER
CREED III 88%, STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERATED 85%, ANTHEM 63%
Prolific filmmaker who rebooted the Rocky franchise back in 2015 by writing and directing the first Creed film. This year Coogler produced Creed III which was a massive success grossing over 275 million worldwide at the box-office. Coogler followed up Creed III producing Stephen Curry: Underrated for Apple TV which was a big success.
LENA WAITHE
A THOUSAND AND ONE 97%, BEING MARY TYLER MOORE 97%, CHANG CAN DUNK 95%
Lena Waithe was a producer on the critically acclaimed Sundance film, A Thousand and One which won the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and released in theaters by Focus Features. The film was nominated at the upcoming Spirit Awards. She followed that up with the HBO documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, which won the Critics Choice Documentary Award for Best Archival Documentary and the crowd pleaser Chang Can Dunk for Disney Plus.
LISA CORTES
THE SPACE RACE 100%, INVISIBLE BEAUTY 100%, LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING 95%
Lisa Cortes produced three documentary films this year. Invisible Beauty, about the life of famed model, agent and activist Bethan Hardison premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Both The Space Race and Little Richard: I am everything, which also premiered at Sundance and was directed by Cortes, received amazing reviews from critics.
TOMMY OLIVER
THE PERFECT FIND 63%, YOUNG. WILD. FREE 67%, GOING TO MARS: THE NIKKI GIOVANNI PROJECT 96%, FANCY DANCE 97%
Tommy Oliver, via his company Confluential Films, had an impressive year producing four films. Both Young. Wild. Free and Fancy Dance had premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project was a hit with critics receiving a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes and is among the 15 films shortlisted for an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary.
WILL PACKER
DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW 43%, PRAISE THIS 50%, ORACLE
Will Packer produced three films this year. The successful holiday film, Dashing Through The Snow starring Lil Rel, Teyonah Parris and Chris “Ludachris” Bridges is currently on Disney Plus. Through his longstanding pact with Universal, Packer produced the gospel themed film Praise This, starring Chloe Bailey, for Peacock and the horror film Oracle, starring Ryan Destiny, for Universal.
CHARLES D. KING
THEY CLONED TYRONE 95%, YOUNG. WILD. FREE 67%
The MACRO founder and CEO produced two films this year. The critically acclaimed Netflix film They Cloned Tyrone, which holds a 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the indie drama Young. Wild. Free which premiered at this years Sundance Film Festival. King will receive the Milestone Award at the 35th annual Producers Guild Awards in 2024.
DEBRA MARTIN CHASE
BEING MARY TYLER MOORE 97%, TRUE SPIRIT 79%
Veteran producer Debra Martin Chase produced two films this year. The HBO documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, which won the Critics Choice Documentary Award for Best Archival Documentary and the Netflix film True Spirit about the youngest person to sail solo non-stop and unassisted around the world.
ROGER ROSS WILLIAMS
STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING 100%, LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER 82%,
Roger Ross Williams produced two documentary films this year. Love to Love you, Donna Summer which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and was released on HBO. Stamped from the Beginning, produced and directed by Williams was released by Netflix and had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was acclaimed by critics and holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s also among the 15 films shortlisted for an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary.
KENYA BARRIS
YOU PEOPLE 40%, WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP 26%
Multi-Hyphenate Kenya Barris produced two films this year. The Netflix romantic comedy You People starring Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill and Nia Long which Barris also directed. The sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump premiered on Hulu.