Here’s your guide to the full cast and characters in You People, the star-studded “culture-clashing” comedy coming to Netflix.
You People marks the directorial debut of Kenya Barris, the screenwriter behind Barbershop: The Next Cut, Girls Trip, and 2019’s Shaft sequel.
Co-written with Jonah Hill, the official synopsis reads: “A new couple and their families find themselves examining modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences in this comedy from Kenya Barris.”
The cast of You People is stacked – Barris said it was like the “first time you have sex and getting one of the Victoria’s Secret Angels” – so here’s everyone you need to know in the Netflix movie.
Contents
- Jonah Hill: Ezra Cohen
- Eddie Murphy: Akbar Mohammed
- Lauren London: Amira Mohammed
- Nia Long: Fatima Mohammed
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Shelley Cohen
- David Duchovny: Arnold Cohen
- Molly Gordon: Liza Cohen
- Travis Bennett: Omar Mohammed
You People Netflix cast: All actors and characters
As per Netflix, the movie “centers around Amira Mohammed and Ezra Cohen, a star-crossed couple facing a cultural divide akin to that of the Montagues and Capulets — just swap out fair Verona for sunny Los Angeles.
“He’s white and Jewish, she’s Black and grew up Muslim, and when the two unexpectedly fall in love after a rideshare mix-up meet cute, their relationship is put to the test by their respective families.”
Below you’ll find a guide to the main characters in the cast of You People.
Jonah Hill: Ezra Cohen
Jonah Hill plays Ezra Cohen. “At 35, Jewish millennial Ezra is still figuring things out. Bored by his high-paying finance job, this Brentwood native finds joy in sneakers, hip-hop and The Mo & E-Z Show, a podcast he co-hosts with best friend Mo (Sam Jay),” his character description on Tudum reads.
“If only he could find someone to share his passions with… as it turns out, love is just a rideshare mix-up away. Ezra meets Amira when he mistakes her for his driver, and the two almost instantly hit it off over their shared interests. But can they get past their cultural differences? And more importantly, can their families?”
Hill is a two-time Oscar-nominated actor and bonafide modern comedy icon, famous for performances in Superbad, The Wolf of Wall Street, 21 Jump Street, and more.
Eddie Murphy: Akbar Mohammed
Eddie Murphy plays Akbar Mohammed, “Amira’s stern father is an architect who takes his Muslim faith seriously.”
“A proud Black man, he’s worked hard to give his family the kind of life they deserve, but never lets them forget where they came from. And guess what? He’s not the biggest fan of Ezra.”
Murphy is a comedy legend who shouldn’t need any introduction. Whether it’s Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, 48hrs, or Shrek, he’s a true movie star.
Lauren London: Amira Mohammed
Lauren London plays Amira Mohammed, who meets Ezra when he mistakes her for his Uber driver. According to the actress, Amira is “a laid-back LA girl. Very chill, goes with the flow, very stylish, very easygoing. Someone I would want to be friends with.”
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Barris said she has the potential to be like “Julia Roberts… she’s already been iconic in our community, but there’s a naturalness to her. People who are stars, there’s something about them. You want to be around them. And I think Lauren has that.”
Nia Long: Fatima Mohammed
Nia Long plays Fatima Mohammed, Akbar’s wife and Lauren’s mother who “shares her husband’s hesitations when it comes to seeing her daughter marry into a family she doesn’t quite understand.”
Long said: “It’s fun to watch the differences between Black people and Jewish people play out. But the true irony is how much we have in common.”
The star is best known for performances in The Best Man, Big Momma’s House, Are We There Yet, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Shelley Cohen
Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays Shelley Cohen, Ezra’s mother who’s “thrilled that her son has finally found someone he loves – and expresses it in all the wrong ways.”
Louis-Dreyfus said: “This woman is a very progressive, liberal-leaning and affluent mother on the west side of Los Angeles. She’s very connected to her son and only wants good things for her boy. She probably, shall we say, over-parents him a bit and considers herself to be a very, very liberal left-leaning human being in all aspects of her life.”
The star is best known for her performances in Seinfeld, Veep, and the MCU as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
David Duchovny: Arnold Cohen
David Duchovny plays Arnold Cohen, Ezra’s dad and Shelley’s husband. He’s a “a very content guy,” according to the actor, “and says what’s on his mind, which, in a movie like this, is good because he puts his foot in his mouth.”
Duchovny is most famous for playing Fox Mulder alongside Gillian Anderson in The X-Files, as well as Hank Moody in Californication.
Molly Gordon: Liza Cohen
Molly Gordon plays Liza Cohen, Ezra’s sister. “The character shares her brother’s interest in style – when she’s not trying to wrangle her mother, Liza makes her own glasses, and trust, you’ll want a pair,” her description reads.
Gordon appeared alongside Hill’s real-life sister Beanie Feldstein in Booksmart, as well starring in Shiva Baby and Good Boys. Theater Camp, her directorial debut, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this month.
Travis Bennett: Omar Mohammed
Travis Bennett plays Omar Mohammed, Amira’s “protective” older brother.
Better known as Taco from Old Future, where he performed alongside Tyler the Creator, Casey Veggies, Hodgy, Left Brain, Matt Martians, Jasper Dolphin, and Syd, he also appeared in Lil Dicky’s comedy series Dave.
You People will be available to stream on Netflix on January 27.
