Nearly a year after MTV Studios was launched with the announcement that iconic animated series Daria (originally listed as Daria & Jodie) would be getting a revival, Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross is set to star in and executive produce adult animated comedy Jodie, the first in what is expected to be a series of spinoffs based on the original series. Created and written by Grace Nkenge Edwards (Insecure), Jodie will also have MTV's Trevor Rose, Morgana Rosenberg, and Amy Doyle as executive producers.

"I am thrilled to bring this project to life with MTV, both as executive producer and by voicing Jodie's character. Being able to give voice to fresh, feminist and unexplored stories of young women excites me. 'Jodie,' will spin-off from the cult classic 'Daria,' and with the brilliant, sweet and sarcastic black girl magic that is Jodie Landon, we will feature a diverse cast, comprised mainly of unapologetically smart and ambitious young female characters who are vulnerable and flawed and interesting and funny. As a very cool bonus, 'Jodie' will be the first adult animated show in almost 20 years that will star a black woman. It will be a smart, funny workplace comedy full of commentary about everything from gentrification to sex to tech to call-out culture." – Tracee Ellis Ross

Centered around fan-favorite and Daria's good friend Jodie Landon, the MTV Studios' series will follow the character as she comes into her own and enters the workplace in her first post-college job in tech – with faces old and new showing up when she least expects it. What Daria did for exploring the inanity of high school, Jodie will do for exploring the trials and tribulations of a first job. Jodie will satirize workplace culture, Gen Z struggles, the artifice of social media and more.

"Given the passion for these characters, there was only one person who could build upon the legacy to reimagine Jodie for a whole new generation, and that person is Tracee Ellis Ross. This marks another exciting step forward for MTV Studios as we build out a wide new slate based on the rich characters from the history in MTV Animation." – Chris McCarthy, President, MTV

Running for five seasons (1997-2002), Daria (both the series and lead Daria Morgendorffer) was a spinoff from MTV's Beavis and Butthead based on the character's huge popularity – her wry wit and wisdom making her a feminist icon for her takes on issues like race, class, and gender. Credited with being a role model and positive influence on a generation of African American females, Jodie Landon will be the first African American female character to be the focus of an animated series in nearly twenty years.

Deadline Hollywood