Prentice Penny | |
---|---|
Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | December 1, 1973
Alma mater | University of Southern California |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2005 - Present |
Parent | Brenda J. Penny [1] |
Prentice Penny (born December 1, 1973) is an American producer, writer and director. He is best known as the showrunner for the HBO series Insecure . He is the writer and director of the Netflix film Uncorked, and the creator and host of Upscale with Prentice Penny. He is also known as a writer and producer of the series Brooklyn Nine-Nine , Happy Endings , The Hustle , and Scrubs .
Penny grew up in the Windsor Hill neighborhood of Los Angeles. [2] His father ran a furniture business started by his grandfather in Compton. [3] His mother, Brenda J. Penny, is a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court. [1] He graduated in 1995 from the University of Southern California's screenwriting program, where he was a member of the African American Cinema Association. [4] [5] He worked as a substitute teacher before getting his first writing job in television. [6]
Penny began his professional career as a writer's trainee on the show Girlfriends where he eventually became a staff writer. [7] He moved on to work as a writer and co-producer on the series Do Not Disturb, where he was the only Black writer. [8] He co-produced the series Scrubs before gaining his first producer credit on the series Breaking In. In 2013 he joined The Hustle as executive producer, then joined Brooklyn Nine-Nine as a co-executive producer and writer. In 2017 he created, produced and starred in the series Upscale with Prentice Penny, a lifestyle series focusing on conscious consumption. [6] In 2016 he became the showrunner for HBO's Insecure, a role he has maintained for all of its seasons. In 2020 Insecure was nominated for eight Emmy Awards for its fourth season, including for Outstanding Comedy Series. [9]
In March 2020, his first feature film Uncorked , a father/son story of an African-American man attempting to become a sommelier, premiered on Netflix. [10]
As of July 2020, Penny had several new projects in the works. He will be partnering with Chernin Entertainment and Netflix to direct a holiday film, the idea for which came from Penny and his wife. He said, "When my wife Tasha and I came up with the idea, we felt that African-American movies centered around Christmas never got to play in the same ‘magical’ sandbox that traditionally white movies do, like The Santa Clause or Elf . We wanted to see images of ourselves portrayed in this genre and create a movie that black families could enjoy having themselves represented in for generations." He is also working with HBO to develop two new series: The Untamed, a culturally diverse epic fantasy based on a series of comic books set in the Asunda universe; and queens, a show set in New York City and focusing on the lives of immigrant women. [11]
In 2021, Penny partnered with comedian Sam Jay to create PAUSE with Sam Jay for HBO, where he serves as executive producer. It was renewed in 2021 for a second season. [12] It is confirmed that Penny will have an overall deal with Onyx Collective. [13]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Uncorked | Director/Writer | |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | See It Loud: The History Of Black Television | commentator | |
2021 | PAUSE with Sam Jay | Executive Producer | |
2016-2021 | Insecure | Executive Producer | |
2017 | Upscale with Prentice Penny | Executive Producer | |
2013-2015 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Consulting Producer | co-executive producer - 21 episodes, 2013 - 2014 |
2013 | The Hustle | Executive Producer | writer - 1 episode |
2011-2013 | Happy Endings | Producer | writer - 6 episodes |
2009-2010 | Scrubs | Co-Producer | writer - 2 episodes |
2008 | Do Not Disturb | Co-Producer | writer - 1 episode |
2005-2008 | Girlfriends | Writer | writer - 6 episodes |
Penny is married to attorney Tasha Penny, whom he met in college at the University of Southern California. They have three children. [14]
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