[4][5][6] Cherry was raised in the Northwest Side of Chicago, Illinois,[3] and graduated from Loyola Academy in nearby Wilmette[7] in 1999.
[8] He attended the University of Akron, where he played on the football team and earned a bachelor's degree in media.
[9][better source needed] Cherry played college football for four seasons with the Akron Zips under head coach Lee Owens and was a second-team All-Mid-American Conference wide receiver.
[citation needed] Cherry signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent following the 2004 NFL draft.
[17] The Cincinnati Bengals signed him off of the Jaguars' practice squad to their active roster on December 29, 2004, before the final game of the season.
"[6] Gary Goldstein wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "this is an involving, sympathetic film unafraid to wear its sizable heart on its sleeve.
[4] He co-directed the film with Everett Downing and Bruce W. Smith, with Peter Ramsey and Pixar animator Frank Abney serving as executive producers.
[28] On March 20, 2019, Sony Pictures Animation announced that they had picked up Hair Love, which was released in theaters alongside The Angry Birds Movie 2 on August 14, 2019.
[36] In January 2022, Cherry was set to direct Redd Zone, a football drama movie with Jada Pinkett Smith starring for Netflix.