The Final Season Of Black-Ish Will Feature This Surprising Guest Star

"Black-ish" has been one of ABC's most popular sitcoms ever since it premiered in 2014. Starring Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, the series tells the story of a modern Black family trying to go about their everyday lives, while navigating the various interpersonal and political matters of any given day. The series has been massively successful for the alphabet network and has spawned multiple spin-offs from prolific creator Kenya Barris, including "Grown-ish" and "Mixed-ish." 

In late 2020, reports emerged that a third spin-off, entitled "Old-ish," starring Laurence Fishburne and Jenifer Lewis was in the works, but talks on that series ultimately fizzled out (via Deadline). In addition to being a regular ratings winner, the series has received critical acclaim, nabbing a total of 24 Emmy nominations throughout its first seven seasons (via Emmys).

The success of the show has made it a popular landing ground for various high-profile guest stars over the years, including Zendaya, Tyra Banks, Wanda Sykes, and Mary J. Blige, among others (via IMDb). In a 2018 interview with TV Guide, "Black-ish" executive producer Jonathan Groff said they nearly had former First Lady Michelle Obama as a guest star in 2017, around the same time that her husband, former President Barack Obama, was leaving office. For reasons that Groff did not explain at the time, the guest spot for Obama simply did not happen, but the crew held out "hope" that the opportunity might come around again.

Four years later, former First Lady Michelle Obama will be joining the final season of the series in a guest-staring role. In a tweet that referred to Obama as a "trailblazer," the official "Black-ish" Twitter account posted, "#blackish is going all out for the final season," adding that the cast and crew is honored to have Obama join the series.

In response, @MichelleObama retweeted the post and commented "I've long been a fan of @BlackishABC's wit and all-around brilliance, and it was such a thrill to join in for an episode. I can't wait for you all to see it!" The former First Lady also added a heart emoji at the end of her post.

Series creator Kenya Barris has previously said that "Black-ish" was inspired by his own family, but he has also noted that the series would not have been possible without the Obamas in the White House (via The Washington Post). The Obamas have long said that they are fans of the ABC series and watch it as a family (via The Guardian).