Tracee Ellis Ross is making boss moves in the first week of 2026. According to Deadline and Forbes, the black-ish star is officially teaming up with Fox Entertainment Studios in a wide-ranging developmental deal through her Joy Mill Entertainment banner.
The Fox Entertainment Studios deal includes a first-look opportunity for scripted projects and an overall deal for unscripted content.
The partnership includes a first-look deal for scripted projects and an overall deal for unscripted content, meaning Ross will have the opportunity to create content across comedy, drama, animation, and reality TV. She’ll also serve as executive producer on the scripted slate and work closely with Adriana Ambriz, Head of Development at Joy Mill.
“Joining the Fox Entertainment Studios family marks an exciting next chapter for Joy Mill Entertainment,” said Ross. “At Joy Mill, our focus is in creating and producing entertaining, culture-bending stories centered around identity and joy, and from our earliest conversations with FOX, it was clear that they shared the same vision. I’m excited to collaborate with Hannah, Allison, Fernando Szew, Tomii Crump, and their incredible teams as we continue to expand our platform.”
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Fox’s Head of Scripted, Hannah Pillemer, echoed a similar sentiment, calling Ellis “a singular force, creative, purposeful, and culturally undeniable.” She added, “Her instincts, curiosity, and drive make her an exceptionally creative and prolific partner. We’re excited to team up with Tracee and Joy Mill Entertainment to create work that inspires, entertains, and reflects the world through their distinctly authentic lens.”
This deal is the latest in a growing list of high-profile partnerships for Fox Entertainment Studios, which already includes collaborations with YouPictures, Maria Zuckerman, Taraji P. Henson, HarperCollins, Bill Burr, and Jamie Foxx, noted Deadline.
This major first-look and scripted content deal adds another win to Tracee Ellis Ross’s impressive film and TV portfolio.
Of course, Ross has long proven she’s built for this moment. Fans know and love her as Rainbow Johnson on ABC’s hit comedy black-ish, which ran for eight successful seasons. She also executive-produced and starred in its spinoff, mixed-ish, and her résumé stretches far beyond that with projects like Girlfriends, The High Note, and The Hair Tales.
More recently, Ross conceptualized, hosted, and executive-produced the Roku original Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, which became Roku’s most-watched unscripted original and earned a second season.
And if that weren’t enough, Ross also popped up on the big screen in The Family McMullen, directed by Edward Burns, a continuation of the 1995 cult favorite The Brothers McMullen. The film stars Jack Mulcahy, Michael McGlone, Edward Burns, and more.
On Dec. 5, 2025, Ross took to Instagram to introduce fans to her character Nina.
“Meet Nina from The Family McMullen. You wonder how I became a member of this family? I got to be Barry McMullen’s (Ed Burns) love interest,” she captioned a carousel showing herself dressed as Nina in a scorching-hot cheetah print dress with a blunt cut. Another photo captured her giving Burns a pound.
She continued, “My 23-year-old self is losing it! The Brothers McMullen was a big part of my 20s! I had the most amazing time being a part of this story and working with this cast and crew! Thank you, Eddie Burns, for this delightful experience.”
Ross added one last note for fans looking for something cozy to watch.“The Family McMullen is a fun & feel-good romantic comedy to enjoy for the holidays ♥️ streaming now on @hbomax!”
Between new studio deals, hit shows, films, and producing wins, one thing is clear—Tracee Ellis Ross is booked, busy, and absolutely thriving.
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