Tracee Ellis Ross Signs Overall Deal With ABC Signature

Denise Petski
·3 min read

Black-ish star and Mixed-ish creator Tracee Ellis Ross is expanding her relationship with ABC Signature, producer of the hit ABC comedy series, with a multi-year overall deal. Under the pact, Ross’ production company, Joy Mill Entertainment, will be based at the studio and produce content across all platforms.

“I love sharing stories and using storytelling as a way to connect and celebrate humanity,” said Ross. “As an actor, I’ve had the joy of inhabiting nuanced and dynamic roles. As an executive producer, I am able to build stories, gather creatives and shape worlds as a way to illuminate different realities. This deal continues my journey as a storyteller and content creator. I am thrilled to finally be sharing the news and expanding this part of my artistry at my home studio, ABC Signature. Jonnie Davis, Tracy Underwood, and their team have been incredible collaborators, and I am eager to continue our shared journey.”

Joy Mill Entertainment’s aim is to “amplify multilayered stories that reframe assumptions about how we see ourselves and each other,” by reflecting humanity in its narratives, encouraging freedom of expression and producing content that inspires possibility and joy.

The company’s new head of development is Adriana Ambriz, who was most recently with One Community, responsible for acquiring, developing and producing feature films. Prior to that, she was senior director of Original Programming at BET, responsible for overseeing the development and production of key network shows such as Tales, Street Dreams: The Story of Nas, and Mandela.

Ross, best known for her role as Dr. Rainbow Johnson on the hit ABC comedy series black-ish, is also an executive producer/creator for mixed-ish, where she narrates the series about the childhood of the future Dr. Johnson.

For her portrayal of Rainbow, Ross won a 2017 Golden Globe award for Best Actress and six NAACP Image awards, as well as four Primetime Emmy nominations and two Critics’ Choice nominations. She also recently co-starred in the Focus Features comedy The High Note.

Ross also is the founder and CEO of Pattern, a hair-care line for curly hair. Ross moderated night two of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, in support of the nominations of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and is a co-founding signatory of the Time’s Up movement, committed to creating safety and equality for women in the workplace. Ross is repped by UTA, Artists First, ID and Hansen Jacobson Teller.

“Tracee is a beloved member of the ABC Signature family and, as everyone knows, has brought so much to our ‘ish’ universe,” said Davis. “We also love and admire Tracee’s passion for storytelling and developing projects, so we’re thrilled that Joy Mill Entertainment will be housed at our studio. We’re already incredibly excited by the projects she’s bringing to us in this new role.”

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