Comedians Wanda Sykes (Black-ish, Bad Moms) and Mike Epps (The Hangover, Girls Trip) have signed a deal with Netflix to executive produce and star in the new series The Upshaws. The Upshaws is a multi camera sitcom that will feature a working-class African-American family in Indiana who struggle to navigate life’s problems. The Upshaws has been in development at Netflix since last Fall.
Sykes will act as a co-showrunner with Regina Hicks (Insecure, The L Word). Sykes and Hicks will executive produce with Sykes’ producing partner Page Hurwitz (Wanda Sykes: Not Normal), Dan Spilo (Office Uprising), Epps, and Epps’ partner Niles Kirchner (The House Next Door).
Sykes was a consulting producer for another sitcom, the Roseanne revival. However, Sykes left the ABC comedy following actress Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet. Roseanne was revamped to become The Conners without the head of the family and without Sykes’ involvement. Skyes has kept busy since her departure from the show. Her most recent stand-up special, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, warned two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety Special and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. Sykes has also earned two Emmy nominations for her work on ABC’s Black-ish. Sykes’s nominations were for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
In a recent Twitter post, Sykes shared her excitement for the upcoming project, The Upshaws.
Epps filmed a couple of comedy specials for Netflix, including 2015’s Don’t Take It Personal and 2019’s Only One Mike. Epps starred in the shortlived 2016 comedy series Uncle Buck. He will be in the upcoming feature film Dolemite Is My Name with Eddie Murphy and Wesley Snipes. Epps’ recent television roles include How High 2 and Star.