A comedy about four Black women heading to New Orleans to blow off steam just became the first comedy of 2017 to gross over $100 million. But that's not the only thing that makes it special. This is the first film written, directed, produced, and starring African-Americans to do so.
Girls Trip stars Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, and Regina Hall. These four stunning Black women all have different personalities, but are each the epitome of Black girl magic. Directed and produced by Malcolm D. Lee and Will Packer, the film grossed $31 million in its opening weekend (which it happened to share with Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk) The writers are Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver. Oliver should be especially proud because she is the first Black female writer to ever pass the milestone.
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To celebrate, several members of the cast and crew took to social media.
Thanks to the fans! We love you! pic.twitter.com/PaqxQnBV9j
— Malcolm D. Lee (@malcolmdlee) August 17, 2017
Much ❤️ to @willpowerpacker and @malcolmdlee for hiring a black woman to write this. Sometimes all we need is the opportunity. #honored https://t.co/wQbMu9iY96
— Tracy Y. Oliver (@TracyYOliver) August 18, 2017
"Sometimes all we need is the opportunity," Tracy Oliver wrote in her thank you to Packer and Lee.
Comedian Tiffany Haddish (whose comedy special She Ready premieres August 18 on Showtime) captioned this photo of her castmates "Beautiful Black women are funny and can bring people out the house to the theaters. Idk but I feel like this is History." It definitely is.
Just one movie has generated so much success for Black people. Let this movie be an example to studio executives everywhere: diversity in media is always worth it. At a time where there's so much darkness closing in on African-American people, Girls Trip is a shining beam of light. The movie and its creators deserve all kinds of success.
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