‘Upshaws’ Co-Creator Regina Hicks Sets Netflix Overall Deal, to Develop Comedy Series With Obamas’ Higher Ground

Joe Otterson
·2 min read

Regina Hicks has signed a multi-year overall deal with Netflix, Variety has learned.

Hicks is the co-creator and co-showrunner of the Netflix multi-cam comedy “The Upshaws” starring Wanda Sykes and Mike Epps. The show debuted in May and was renewed for a second season in June.

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Under her deal, Hicks will create, write and produce new series and projects for Netflix. She has already set up her first project for development under the deal: an untitled comedy series that Hicks will writer, showrun, and executive produce with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground. Tonia Davis and Ada Chiaghana will oversee the series.

“Regina’s shows always feel authentic and relatable,” said Tracey Pakosta, Netflix’s head of comedy. “She’s an amazing writer and producer who’s given audiences laugh-out-loud moments mixed with a lot of heart and humanity for years. I can’t wait for her to expand on her work at Netflix, and I’m especially looking forward to this first project with Higher Ground.”

The new series will focus on the lives of four middle-aged Black women from Houston, Texas and explore how they navigate a world of affluence while also balancing the everyday scenarios of women of a certain age.

“I am thrilled to continue my creative journey with Tracey, Andy and the wonderful team at Netflix and to find a home here at the place with so many of my favorite shows,” said Hicks. “And I absolutely love that I now get to work with the folks at Higher Ground. Putting the voices of Black women on the screen is so important to me and I can’t think of a better team to do it with.”

Hicks is repped by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment, and McKuin Frankel Whitehead.

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