Sadly Made by Maddie will not premiere later this month on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. as we previously reported.
Read that post here.
Emilycottontop was notified by Nickelodeon that the show was removed from the schedule following the community outcry about how similar the show is to Matthew A. Cherry’s Oscar-winning short, Hair Love.
In a statement sent to Emilycottontop, Nickelodeon shared –
“Made by Maddie is a show we acquired several years ago from Silvergate Media, a renowned production company we have previously worked with on other series.
Since announcing the show’s premiere date this week, we have been listening closely to the commentary, criticism, and concern coming from both viewers and members of the creative community.
In response, and out of respect to all voices in the conversation, we are removing the show from our schedule as we garner further insight into the creative journey of the show. We are grateful to Silvergate Media for all of their work.
And we hold Matthew A. Cherry and the wonderful and inspiring Hair Love in the highest regard.”
Silvergate Media CEO Waheed Alli said, “Made by Maddie is a preschool show about an 8-year-old girl who uses her fashion sense and design ingenuity to solve problems.
Silvergate Media has been working on the series for the last five years and throughout the production has taken steps to ensure a diverse production team and an appropriate voice cast lending their expertise and talent.
As creators ourselves, we have the utmost respect and admiration for Matthew A. Cherry and Hair Love, and our hope is that when people watch our show, they will see it is its own story with its own adventures.”
According to Hollywood Reporter HBO Max recently ordered a 12-episode animated series based on Oscar-winning animated short Hair Love from its writer-director, Matthew A. Cherry, and Sony Pictures Animation.
Cherry will showrun the series with Carl Jones (The Boondocks, Black Dynamite). Cherry and Jones also will be writing with Dayna Lynne North (Insecure).
It will be executive produced by North, Blue Key Entertainment’s Monica A. Young (a producer on Hair Love), along with Lion Forge Animation’s David Steward II and Carl Reed.
Like Cherry’s best-selling book of the same name, Hair Love follows an African American father who has to learn to do his daughter Zuri’s hair.
Young Love, the 2D animated series, will explore family dynamics through this young Black millennial family — Stephen and Angela, their daughter, Zuri, and her pet cat, Rocky — as they juggle their careers, marriage, parenthood, social issues, and multigenerational dynamics, all while striving to make a better life for themselves.
“I am beyond excited to continue telling the story of Stephen, Angela and Zuri and further explore the dynamics of a young Black millennial family we established in our short film Hair Love as an animated series,” said Cherry in a released statement.
“Couldn’t ask for better partners in Sony Pictures Animation and HBO Max in helping us get Young Love out into the world.”
The deal also reunites him with Karen Rupert Toliver, the Oscar-winning producer of Hair Love, who serves as executive vp at Sony’s animation studio.
“Hair Love struck a chord that is still resonating deeply with audiences of all ages,” said Billy Wee, senior vp original animation at HBO Max, in a statement.
“Matthew and Sony Animation’s creative voices are a welcomed addition to the HBO Max family and we can’t wait to bring this joyous story to the world.”
Were you all looking forward to Made by Maddie and did you notice the similarities to Hair Love? We are disappointed for Alyssa’s sake, she was the voice of Maddie and has been so excited for its release.
Sigh!
