Janine Sherman Barrois

Janine Sherman Barrois is an acclaimed television writer, producer, creator, and showrunner whose career has spanned more than three decades, establishing her as one of the most influential creative voices in contemporary television. After beginning her career in the mid-1990s as an assistant on projects including South Central, The Glass Shield, and Major Payne, she transitioned into writing and producing with credits on the hit sitcom The Jamie Foxx Show before moving into dramatic television on The PJs, Third Watch, and the Emmy Award-winning medical drama ER. Her work on ER earned multiple nominations, including a Humanitas Prize nomination and several NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for episodes such as “Darfur,” “Breach of Trust,” and “Parental Guidance.” She later served as an executive producer on the long-running CBS procedural Criminal Minds, further solidifying her reputation as a skilled storyteller and showrunner.

Barrois reached new heights with TNT’s critically acclaimed dramedy Claws, serving as executive producer and showrunner throughout its successful run. The series, starring Niecy Nash, became one of TNT’s signature programs and earned recognition from the NAACP Image Awards, including a nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for Barrois. During this period, she also expanded into film and limited-series storytelling, executive producing Netflix’s Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker starring Octavia Spencer, and making her directorial debut with the short film French Fries as part of Refinery29’s Shatterbox anthology initiative.

In recent years, Barrois has focused on developing and producing prestige projects centered on complex Black characters and underrepresented stories. She created, wrote, and executive produced the OWN drama The Kings of Napa, a high-stakes family saga set within California’s wine industry, executive produced alongside Oprah Winfrey. She subsequently launched Folding Chair Productions under her long-running overall deal with Warner Bros. Television, with a mission of championing diverse creators and storytellers. Her recent producing credits also include the Apple TV+ limited series The Big Cigar, chronicling the life of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton. Widely respected for combining commercial appeal with culturally significant storytelling, Janine Sherman Barrois remains one of television’s most influential showrunners, continuing to develop new film and television projects while mentoring the next generation of writers and producers.