SERIES CREATOR AVA DuVERNAY AND OWN ANNOUNCE CONCLUSION OF CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SERIES “QUEEN SUGAR,” FROM WARNER BROS. TELEVISION AND ARRAY FILMWORKS, WITH FINAL SEVENTH SEASON IN 2022
November 16, 2021
Los Angeles – Series creator Ava DuVernay and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today that the critically-acclaimed drama series “Queen Sugar,” from Warner Bros. Television and ARRAY Filmworks, will conclude in its seventh season next year. Writing on the final season has commenced and production will begin in early 2022 in New Orleans.
“To everything, there is a season. And my producing partner Paul Garnes and I have had seven gorgeous seasons making ‘Queen Sugar’ with a remarkable cast and crew, alongside our partners at OWN and Warner Bros. Television,” shared DuVernay. “To write and produce seven seasons of a modern drama centered on a Black family is a radical act in our industry and a triumph that has far exceeded every hope I held. Now I feel strongly that the story, which began as a sunrise of a suggestion from Oprah, is ready for its sunset as a dream fully realized. ‘Queen Sugar’ has been one of the true joys of my career and my gratitude is buoyant and boundless.”
“‘Queen Sugar’ is a truly extraordinary series brought to life by Ava’s leadership, her brilliant creative team, and the incredible cast and crew. Our audience has seen themselves reflected with nuance and care through the story of the Bordelon family, including their triumphs and challenges, and most importantly, the love they have for each other through it all,” said Tina Perry, president, OWN. “‘Queen Sugar’ has been an unparalleled success for OWN, garnering critical acclaim, awards recognition, and a loyal and dedicated audience. We are so grateful for Ava’s partnership and are looking forward to a fantastic final season.”
In its six seasons to date, “Queen Sugar” has consistently enjoyed critical acclaim and industry recognition. Earlier this year, Emmy Magazine featured the influential series as a cover story declaring it “one of the best hours on television.” The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) awarded the series with Best TV Drama for four consecutive years, the Impact Award in 2021 and multiple Best Writing awards. Additionally, the series was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Drama Series and has been named Television Show of the Year by the American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Creator and executive producer Ava DuVernay was recently named Producer of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter.
Throughout its run, “Queen Sugar” has been lauded for its powerful portrayal of an African-American family in the Deep South and for DuVernay’s continued commitment to hire an all-female directing team throughout the entire series run. Since its debut in September 2016, 42 women have directed episodes of QUEEN SUGAR, 39 of whom made their television directorial debut on the series. At the outset of production, DuVernay established an inclusive initiative to hire an all-female directorial team and a representative crew in terms of race, culture, gender, sexuality, age and physical ability.
“Queen Sugar” is produced for OWN by DuVernay’s ARRAY Filmworks and Harpo Films in association with Warner Bros. Television. The series is based on the book by Natalie Baszile. The first five seasons of "Queen Sugar" are currently available to stream exclusively on Hulu.
PHOTO ASSETS:
Ava DuVernay Headshot: https://owncomm.box.com/s/wllgbv3tqawmik44hhm53xcep48sguah
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Array
Queen Sugar Episodic and Key Art:
https://owncomm.box.com/s/978d74l4c718btrj4az7py9a63d6jcpt
About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for premium scripted and unscripted programming from today's most innovative storytellers. OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery, Inc. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime, anywhere on WatchOWN.tv, and on discovery+ across mobile devices and connected TVs. For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own and https://press.discovery.com/us/own/.
About Warner Bros. Television
One of the entertainment industry’s most-respected providers of original primetime programming since its founding in 1955, Warner Bros. Television produces original scripted drama and comedy series for multiple platforms. As of November 2021, Warner Bros. Television is producing more than 60 scripted series for on-demand/streaming services, premium/pay and basic cable channels, and the five broadcast networks.
About ARRAY
Founded in 2011 by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, ARRAY is a Peabody Award-winning multi-platform arts and social impact collective dedicated to narrative change. The organization catalyzes its work through a quartet of mission-driven entities: the film distribution arm ARRAY Releasing, the content company ARRAY Filmworks, the programming and production hub ARRAY Creative Campus and the non-profit group ARRAY Alliance.
# # #