HBO taps playwrights Aziza Barnes and Jeremy O. Harris for The Vanishing Half adaptation

The Hollywood Reporter

The two playwrights are teaming with Issa Rae to adapt Brit Bennett's bestselling novel for the small screen. "Reading The Vanishing Half was and is an exacting call to my family's history — one of passing for white, legends so tall as to be myths, and wounds that last several generations," said Barnes. Harris added: "One of the few highlights of 2020 was the evening I spent on my birthday curled on my couch screaming at Stella Vignes, 'HOW COULD YOU' so loudly my neighbor thought something was wrong. To know that I get the privilege to collaborate with Brit and one of my favorite playwrights Aziza in translating that moment to millions around the world is an honor. In many ways knowing that my 'twin' in this journey gets to be a playwright with whom I shared a debut season and a debut director makes this all the more special because the secret language of siblings seems to already pass between us throughout this process."