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As
the series creator, he was keen to continue the story of the
family in "Young Love," which premieres on Sept. 21 and runs for
12 episodes.
"The kind of relatability of the world even created in the short
with no dialogue is very much a continuation of what we tried to
present in the series," Cherry told Reuters.
"Hair Love" unpacks the story of a Black father named Stephen
trying to do his seven-year-old daughter Zuri's hair for the
first time while his wife Angela is in the hospital receiving
chemotherapy for cancer.
Angela, a professional hairstylist voiced by "Insecure" actor
Issa Rae, created hair tutorials for YouTube, which Zuri and her
dad, voiced by Cherry, watch.
Eventually, Zuri's dad masters the hairstyles after studying the
videos.
"Young Love" picks up after Angela's return home from treatment,
exploring the life of the multigenerational family in Chicago,
where Cherry grew up.
Besides Rae reprising her role as Angela, other notable names in
the voice cast are Loretta Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Kid Cudi.
"We got the multigenerational family too, we added the
grandparents played by Loretta Devine and Henry Lennix. And, you
know, obviously Zuri got a voice now, and Stephen is Cudi,"
Cherry said.
"So, we really hope it's something for everybody, every
generation we try to represent."
For him, creating more representation in animation and beyond
has always been a defining goal.
"The best art is when you can tie it to a real cause," he said.
"Young Love" is another chapter in the short film's expansion.
"Hair Love" has already been adapted into a New York Times
bestselling book, the Dove Kids Hair Love collection and used as
a pillar in the passing of the CROWN Act, a bill that aims to
end hair discrimination in the United States.
(Reporting by Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles and Eric Cox in
Chicago; Editing by Mary Milliken and Aurora Ellis)
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