Skye Townsend (‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’) has been elevated to a series regular role on CBS’s popular sitcom, ‘The Neighborhood.’ The show, which centers around a white Midwestern family’s experiences in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Pasadena, California, is set to return for its seventh season on October 21.
Townsend portrays Courtney, the partner of Marty Butler (played by Marcel Spears), navigating the challenges of co-parenting. Described as “very smart, very cool, very outgoing,” Courtney is a character with a sharp sense of humor and a strong personality. She and Marty, who worked together at JPL, have recently become co-parents to a baby girl after reconnecting and forming a non-romantic co-parenting partnership. Despite their commitment to raising their daughter together, Courtney and Marty are clear that they are not a couple.
The character of Courtney is loosely inspired by Sarah Francis Jones, Marcel Spears’s real-life partner, who famously went into labor during a Beyoncé Renaissance concert. Townsend initially joined ‘The Neighborhood’ in its sixth season as a recurring character.
Created by Jim Reynolds, ‘The Neighborhood’ humorously explores cultural dynamics as the Johnson family, led by Dave (Max Greenfield) and Gemma (Beth Behrs), adapts to life in South Central Los Angeles. Their interactions with their neighbors, including the skeptical yet lovable Calvin Butler (Cedric the Entertainer) and his wife Tina (Tichina Arnold), form the heart of the series.
In addition to Greenfield, Behrs, and Spears, the cast features Sheaun McKinney, Hank Greenspan, and Tichina Arnold. As the show enters its new season, fans can expect more of the humorous and heartfelt moments that have made it a hit.
Beyond her role on ‘The Neighborhood,’ Townsend has appeared in various films and television series, including MTV’s ‘Pretty Stoned,’ ‘A Christmas Serenade,’ ‘Christmas Party Crashers,’ and guest roles on Paramount+’s ‘iCarly’ reboot, Netflix’s ‘Lucifer,’ and an episode of ‘Family Guy.’