Column: Kobe Bryant’s big screen pursuits inspired filmmaker Matthew A. Cherry

For all of the drawbacks one can point to regarding our oversharing society, one benefit is that it makes rewriting one’s history tough. The internet has receipts, so whatever you posted yesterday probably will follow you for the rest of your tomorrows.

Now admittedly that sounds a bit ominous — like the plot of a B-rated horror movie — but in the case of Matthew A. Cherry, it’s a passage from his fairy
tale.

On June 1, 2012, the former NFL wide receiver tweeted: “I’m gonna be nominated for an Oscar one day. Already claiming it”.

The morning of January 13, 2020 the Undefeated’s Kelley L Carter tweeted:

Later that afternoon Kobe Bryant retweeted Carter’s post:

He also retweeted the video of Cherry, surrounded by family and friends, jumping for joy the moment his animated short, “Hair Love,” was announced.

“It’s so wild because when Kobe won [for “Dear Basketball” in 2018] it really inspired me, so when he gave me a shoutout I was just floored,” Cherry said. “Now that he’s gone, I hope I can continue his legacy … and inspire other athletes to excel in their second career.”

Whereas “Dear Basketball” is a love letter to the game that had given Bryant so much, Cherry’s film is not directly tied to sports at all. Instead it chronicles the journey of a black father trying to style his young daughter’s natural hair while mom is away.

Fitting that one of Bryant’s last tweets would place the spotlight on a film featuring a #girldad. And though Cherry doesn’t have any children, he said it was important to him to challenge the stereotypes some people hold about black fathers, such as not being there for their children.

“Representation matters,” he said. “Seeing yourself reflected fully matters.”

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Matthew Cherry’s animated short, “Hair Love.”

Cherry, who was undrafted after an all-conference career at Akron, had stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals before deciding to retire in 2007 at 25 to pursue a career in film.

In 2012, the year he posted his Oscar-nomination prophesy, he made his first feature film as a writer-director with “The Last Fall.” He also directed music videos, having worked with Beyonce, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland and Snoop Dogg.

“Funny thing is, I get recognized more for being a former football player than I did when I actually played,” Cherry said.

Of course, former athletes being involved in the movie and television industry has been going on for decades.

Four-time Pro Bowler Alex Karras has an impressive list of characters he’s portrayed in the years following his time in the NFL, including George Papadapolis, the adoptive father of the beloved TV character Webster.

Carl Weathers played for the Oakland Raiders before he was Apollo Creed or seen in the Star Wars series “The Mandalorian”, while Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rock became international superstars after professional body building and wrestling.

There are, however, a couple of differences for Bryant and Cherry. First, they achieved Academy Award recognition, which signifies a high level of industry acceptance, and second, they did so working behind the camera.

“Dear Basketball” stemmed from a poem Bryant wrote while “Hair Love” is based on the children’s book Cherry penned by the same name.

“Unlike the generation before who maybe just wrote a check to get involved, this generation of guys are taking the same discipline that made them professional athletes and are applying it to producing content,” said Carter, who has covered the entertainment industry for more than 20 years and spoke to Bryant about his interest in Hollywood. “They are engaged in the entire process.

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Lakers star Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down at the Staples Center following his final game on April 13, 2016.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant, the teenager obtained by the Lakers in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, takes part in an ad shoot for Adidas at Will Rogers State Beach.  (Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant was already shooting his first commercial before taking his first shot for the Lakers.  (Los Angeles Times)

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Laker rookie Kobe Bryant, 18, listens to coach Del Harris during a break in a 129-99 victory over the Washington Bullets at the Forum. Bryant scored 13 points.  (Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant drives against Utah center Greg Ostertag in the Western Conference Finals at the Forum in Inglewood. Utah won 109-98 to give the Jazz a 3-0 lead in the series.  (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant is dejected after losing the ball late in the second half of Game 3 of the 1999 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs at the Forum. The Lakers lost, 103-91, giving the Spurs a 3-0 advantage in the series. The Spurs went on to win the series 4-0.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant drives past Chris Webber in Game 4 of the first round of the 2000 Western Conference playoffs at Arco Arena in Sacramento. The Kings won, 101-88, but the Lakers went on to win the series in five games and advanced to face the Phoenix Suns in the next round.  (Bob Galbraith / Associated Press)

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Despite Jason Kidd’s hand in his face, Kobe Bryant puts up the winning shot in the Lakers’ 97-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at Staples Arena. The Lakers won the series, 4-1.  (K.C. Alfred / Associated Press)

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Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal had a moment to relax after winning their first title together in the 2000 NBA Finals. The two kicked back after a 116-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 at Staples Center. Bryant is holding the championship trophy and O’Neal has his Finals MVP trophy.  (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant performs on stage at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in 2000 during a celebration of the launch of his record label, Heads High Entertainment.  (Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant is swarmed by teammates Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal as he heads to the foul line in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Bryant scored 45 points as the Lakers beat the Spurs, 104-90, on their way to a sweep of the series.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 3 of the 2001 Western Conference finals at Staples Center.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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Lakers players Kobe Bryant, left, Lindsey Hunter and Shaquille O’Neal celebrate their NBA title victory over the New Jersey Nets on June 12, 2002.  (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant, with his wife, Vanessa, at his side, holds a news conference at Staples Center in 2003 to discuss accusations by a 19-year-old Colorado woman that he sexually assaulted her. He conceded he was guilty of adultery, but he declared he was innocent of charges of felonious sexual assault. The charges were later dropped.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles Lakers Karl Malone, left, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Shaquille O’Neal before their preseason opener with the Los Angeles Clippers. It was Bryant’s first game since sexual assault charges were filed against him in Colorado.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant, left, looks at his defense attorney Pamela Mackey as he is advised by Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett during his felony sexual assault hearing in Eagle, Colo., on Aug. 6, 2003.  (Barry Gutierrez / Associated Press)

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Hours after pleading not guilty to a felony sexual assault charge in Colorado, an exhausted Kobe Bryant is congratulated by teammate Derek Fisher after the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs, 98-90, in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Staples Center. Bryant scored 42 points as the Lakers tied the series at 2-2.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after injuring his right ankle during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 13, 2005, in Los Angeles. Bryant was injured when he landed awkwardly on his right foot while going for a rebound under the Cavaliers’ basket and had to be helped off the court.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant and his new backcourt partner, William “Smush” Parker, during a 2005 preseason game against Utah at the Anaheim Pond.  (Los Angeles Times)

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Lakers star Kobe Bryant stands next to coach Phil Jackson during a playoff game against the Phoenix Suns in April 2006.  (Matt York / Associated Press)

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Kobe Bryant walks off the court with his wife, Vanessa, and daughter Natalia after scoring a career-high 81 points in a Lakers win over the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center on Jan. 22, 2006.  (Noah Graham / NBAE/Getty Images)

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Lakers star Kobe Bryant scores in front of Toronto’s Matt Bonner on his way to scoring 81 points during the Lakers’ 122-104 victory on Jan. 22, 2006.  (Matt A. Brown / Associated Press)

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Kobe Bryant celebrates the Lakers’ victory over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant celebrates after winning his fourth NBA title following the Lakers’ win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals.  (Emmanuel Dunand /AFP/Getty Images)

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Kobe Bryant celebrates the Lakers’ Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant holds the NBA championship trophy during the team’s 2010 NBA title victory parade.  (David McNew / Getty Images)

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Kobe Bryant shows off what he can do with a basketball during an event in Milan, Italy, in September 2011.  (Luca Bruno / Associated Press)

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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant goes up for a shot over New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler during a game in December 2011.  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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U.S. players Kevin Durant, left, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.  (Charles Krupa / Associated Press)

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Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a game against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2013.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant warms up before playing against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 8, 2013, in his first game back from a torn Achilles tendon.  (Harry How / Getty Images)

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Kobe Bryant is congratulated by teammates after passing Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 14, 2014.  (Jeff Wheeler / TNS)

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Lakers star Kobe Bryant goes to hug his family after his final NBA game on April 13, 2016.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant poses with his family after getting his jerseys retired before a game between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on Dec. 18, 2017.  (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)

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Lakers legend Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his jersey retirement ceremony at the Staples Center in 2017.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant smiles after winning an Academy Award for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball” on March 4, 2018.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with his daughter Gianna while attending a women’s basketball game between Long Beach State and Oregon on Dec. 14, 2019.  (Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)

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Lakers star Kobe Bryant watches a tribute video at Staples Center before the final game of his career on April 13, 2016.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

“Drew Brees is someone who is producing films and not just writing checks. On his off days he is sitting in boardrooms and making decisions. KD [Kevin Durant] has a nice slate. Steph Curry and LeBron James have a slate that is as impressive as any top Hollywood producer.”

In fact, while Cherry is personally nominated for an Oscar, one of Curry’s projects, “Breakthrough,” produced a Best Original Song nomination.

“Kobe told me he really wanted to break into TV,” Carter said. “He wanted to be the Shonda Rhimes of creating basketball content, both scripted and unscripted. That’s one of the saddest parts about his death … we won’t get to see all of the incredible things he had planned. He was charting the path for other athletes to be taken seriously in this space. He was proving you truly can be more than an athlete and a lot were inspired by him.”

Like Cherry, who after the NFL found a home as an executive for Oscar-winner Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Production. He recruited Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae to be the voice of the mother for “Hair Love,” which made the Oscar nomination even more sweet because Rae was the person who revealed the achievement during the broadcast he was watching.

“Natural hair is unapologetically black,” Cherry said. “It’s important to see that on the screen because if all you see are people with skin that’s not like yours and hair that is not like yours, young black kids wonder if they are beautiful. I wanted to do something that made people feel good about themselves.”

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To further drive this point home Friday, Cherry tweeted “Since Deandre Arnold’s school didn’t want to let him walk at his graduation because of his hair we figured that he should walk with us on the red carpet at the #Oscars as our special guest.”

Arnold is the young man from Texas who was told he had to cut his dreadlocks in order to cross the stage for graduation. The school cited its dress code policy as the reason why, though it’s important to note the policy was created after Arnold grew his hair.

His story attracted nationwide outrage and is precisely why Cherry’s “Hair Love” is so necessary. Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, who serve as associate producers on the short, joined Cherry in a video inviting Arnold to the ceremony.

“When we heard about this amazing story of a young, black father with long, beautiful locks just trying to figure out how to do his daughter’s hair, we knew that we had to support any way we could,” Union said in the video.

You may recall Union was fired from “America’s Got Talent” in part because her hair was “too black.”

“The thing that’s crazy is Kobe won an Oscar for his retirement video,” Cherry said. “Imagine what he would’ve done with more time. It’s so sad … but I’m going to do everything I can to tell amazing stories that empower and lift people up. I’m going to try my best to keep that part of his legacy going.”