© 2026 ABC News

Ross says while the new series will offer plenty of laughs, it will also provide a deeply relatable subject matter.

\"It's the story of being a fish out of water. It's the experience that all of us have in many different ways,\" she said. \"And for many different reasons, where we are the one that is not like everybody else for some reason. And what that experience creates for you as a person, and how the journey is usually that you get to become more yourself.\"

Of course, Ross will still get to play a part in the \"mixed-ish\" experience as the show's narrator, so she will be the one to tell Bow's story.

\"We get to follow through the eyes of Bow, her family and her childhood through the backdrop of the binary eighties, where people were using language that we all now know is not appropriate,\" Ross says. \"And being in that environment as she kind of walks her way through this coming off of the commune and into mainstream world.\"

Fitting in is never easy. Tune in to the premiere of new comedy #mixedish, TONIGHT at 9|8c on ABC! pic.twitter.com/PXWy6fEAug

— mixed-ish (@mixedishabc) September 24, 2019

Gosselaar and Tika Sumpter play Bow's parents on \"mixed-ish.\" Gosselaar tells ABC News the show gets real about race.

\"We need to work on some things and some things we need to work extra hard on,\" he explains, \"It's a comedy and we don't hit you over the head with things, we kinda teach you a lesson and you don't even know it.\"

The series begin with Bow's parents raising their family on a commune, where the children grow up oblivious that the outside world deems them neither white or black. In fact, Bow and her siblings start off the series not knowing they're different.

Gosselaar gushed about how much he loved pretending to live on a commune and, especially, enjoyed the wardrobe.

\"[The clothes] are comfortable, they are comfortable,\" he says. \"I get more compliments for those type of clothes than any other character I've ever played. I've played well dressed lawyers, I get more compliments for these clothes.\"

\"mixed-ish\" premieres Tuesday night on ABC at 9 p.m. ET.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/mixed-ish-star-mark-paul-gosselaar-show-real/story?id=65818447","legacySlug":"/culture/story/mixed-ish-star-mark-paul-gosselaar-show-real-65818447","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"13:26","publishDate":"09-24-2019","updatedTime":"13:51","updatedDate":"09-24-2019","socialImage":{"alt":"Tika Sumpter and Mark-Paul Gosselaar in an episode of ABC's \"Mixed-ish,\" airing Oct. 8, 2019.","credit":"Richard Cartwright/ABC","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/mixed-ish-abc-ps-190924_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"9/24/2019 13:26:46 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":65818447,"headline":"'Mixed-ish' stars say new show gets real on race","mediaAssetTitle":"MIXED-ISH","description":"\"We kinda teach you a lesson and you don't even know it,\" star said.","duration":"3:23","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/09/190904_gma_hair_0850_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["135219568","135145820","134977845"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"July 30, 2026","headline":"US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces","section":"News","slug":"/video/135219568","id":"135219568","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260730_gma_scott_iran3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"July 28, 2026","headline":"Tornadoes touch down as severe storms sweep East","section":"News","slug":"/video/135145820","id":"135145820","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Tornadoes touch down as severe storms sweep East","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Tornadoes touch down as severe storms sweep East","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260728_gma_perez_tornadoes2_703_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"July 22, 2026","headline":"Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother after drowning death","section":"News","slug":"/video/134977845","id":"134977845","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother after drowning death","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother after drowning death","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260722_gma_norwood_warner1_734_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"'Mixed-ish' stars say new show gets real on race","description":"\"We kinda teach you a lesson and you don't even know it,\" star said.","duration":"3:23","uploadDate":"09-24-2019","publication":"09-24-2019","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/09/190904_gma_hair_0850_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/09/190904_gma_hair_0850_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/mixed-ish-star-mark-paul-gosselaar-show-real-65818447"}},"playlist":[{"id":"135222489","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135189298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135195168","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134926667","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135120534","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134959102","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134910526","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134846473","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134848966","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134761751","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134787741","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134782596","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134741027","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134751717","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134708317","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134548164","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134542058","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134416060","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134443994","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"134406623","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"'Mixed-ish' stars say new show gets real on race","pubTime":"09:26","pubDate":"09-24-2019","modTime":"09:51","modDate":"09-24-2019","taxonomyTags":"none","id":65818447,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"'Mixed-ish' stars say new show gets real on race","mediaAssetTitle":"MIXED-ISH","videoId":65818447,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/mixed-ish-star-mark-paul-gosselaar-show-real-65818447"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/65818447","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/65818447","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};