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Mara Brock Akil

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Mara Brock Akil
Akil in 2013
Born (1970-05-27) May 27, 1970 (age 54)
Compton, California, U.S.
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, producer
Years active1993–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1999)​
Children2

Mara Brock Akil (born May 27, 1970) is an American television producer, screenwriter and director. She became the youngest African American female showrunner and executive producer when she created the sitcom Girlfriends (2000–2008), airing on UPN and The CW, and the first African American female showrunner to have two series simultaneously on broadcast network television when she created its spin-off The Game (2006–15) on The CW before moving to BET.

She created BET's first drama series Being Mary Jane (2013–19) and The Game sequel (2021–22) on Paramount+. She co-created Love Is (2018) on OWN and executive produced the DC Arrowverse series Black Lightning (2018–21) on The CW. She was a writer on South Central (1994) on Fox and a writer and producer on Moesha (1996–99) on UPN, The Jamie Foxx Show (1999–2000) on The WB, Cougar Town (2010) on ABC and the theatrical film Sparkle (2012). Together with her husband and collaborator Salim Akil, the creative duo founded production company Akil Productions in 2000.

Brock Akil is the only African American showrunner to have series on broadcast network TV every year of the 2000s, and was the first to have two series and was the only to have two black sitcoms simultaneously that decade. She is the only African American showrunner or executive producer to have series on television almost every year of the 2000s and 2010s with the exception of 2016. Her series were two of the only three shows in 2007 and 2008 and was one of the only two shows in 2009 with a predominantly black cast on broadcast network TV.[1]

Early life and education

She was born Mara Brock in 1970 in Compton, California,[2] to Joan Carol Fullmore and William Bartido Brock II (later Wali Shamsuddin) who were high school sweethearts. Her brother William "Bill" Brock III was three years old at the time and their younger sister Kara Brock was born four years later. Her paternal grandmother was Candida Brock, her maternal grandfather was Johnn Fullmore and her maternal grandmother is Helen Fullmore.[3][4] Mara lived her early childhood in Baldwin Hills in South Los Angeles,[5][6] and lived her preteen and teenage years in and around Kansas City, Missouri,[7] after her parents divorced when she was eight years old in 1977.[8][3]

Her mother left with the children and moved to the Kansas City metropolitan area where she worked her way up from an entry-level position to a computer programmer at Marion Laboratories while raising Mara and her siblings as a single mother.[8] At age 11, Mara saw a 17-year-old Whitney Houston as a cover model on the November 1981 issue of Seventeen magazine, three years before she even became a popstar, which gave Mara hope that "things are possible."[9] She graduated in 1988 from Raytown South High School where she decided she would pursue a career in writing. She opted against going to the University of Missouri like many of her classmates and applied to only one college, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in the Chicago metropolitan area, hoping to attend the Medill School of Journalism. She was accepted and went on to join the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.[10][11]

In her freshmen year she volunteered to help some friends in the campus' black sketch comedy group Out Da Box. When a member encouraged her to write a sketch, she initially resisted before writing a parody of Mike Tyson and Robin Givens' marriage. "The first laugh was a high I will never forget," she later recounted. She took two courses with professor Njoki McElroy in 'Performance of African-American Literature' that focused on directing and performing. Mara performed in two theatrical productions for her, including playing the lead in The Colored Museum. She had a college internship at the Grand Rapids Press in Michigan that changed her approach to storytelling; "I was thinking I got this story, and you realized very quickly that your stories did not matter. I remember the amount of hustle it took just to get a couple stories on. So, my senior year I decided 'I'm going to tell the truth through fiction.'"[12][13]

She tried out for the job of an MTV VJ when an open audition was held on campus in February 1991.[14] She made her decision to work in the television industry after meeting professor Delle Chatman at an 'Organization of Black Screenwriters' seminar and went on to petition her to get into her screenwriting course.[13][15] She graduated in 1992 and applied for Hollywood writing apprenticeships but never received any. She worked for a year as an assistant manager at a Gap clothing store before deciding to move to Los Angeles.[16][17]

Career

1993–2000

In 1993, she performed as an actor in a minor speaking role in the feature film With Honors (1994) in a scene shot in Chicago. After moving to Los Angeles, she met NU almnus and assistant director Jerry Ziesmer who told her to "put my last two films on your résumé" which helped her get a job as a production assistant for $180 a week on The Sinbad Show. The sitcom aired for one season spanning 24 episodes from September 16, 1993 to April 21, 1994 on Fox before being cancelled.[15][18]

In 1994, while working on the show she knew that its executive producers Ralph Farquhar and Michael J. Weithorn were developing a TV pilot, so she began writing scripts she hoped for them to read. Once she got a minute of Farquhar's time, she told him: "Let me not waste it on why I need you. That's obvious. Let me spend it on why you need me." She was given the position of a WGA Writer's Trainee on the forthcoming series South Central. The comedy drama, which centered on a divorcee single mother Joan Mosley and her three children, aired for one season spanning 10 episodes from April 5 to June 7, 1994 on Fox.[9][18][19]

After an 18-month unemployment period, she began working on Moesha, starring Brandy Norwood, a sitcom created by Farquhar, Vida Spears and Sara Finney-Johnson. It aired for six seasons spanning 127 episodes from January 23, 1996 to May 14, 2001, becoming the biggest hit on the fledgling UPN. She served as a writer on the first four seasons and as a producer on the fourth season which ended in August 23, 1999. Brock Akil recounts of her experience working for Farquhar: "I really appreciate the way he ran Moesha and that he gave access to us and taught us how to [...] not just write script, but how do you produce that [...] I wanted to learn from him. He learned from Garry Marshall, and so all that legacy is within me."[9][19] Brock Akil next worked on The Jamie Foxx Show, a sitcom created by its namesake and Bentley Kyle Evans, which aired for five seasons spanning 100 episodes from August 28, 1996 to January 14, 2001 on The WB. She served as a supervising producer and writer on the fourth and fifth seasons where her episodes aired between September 24, 1999 and October 29, 2000.

2000–2009

In 2000, Brock Akil created Girlfriends after she went to UPN and sold her idea for the series.[20] She shopped the series around to studios to start the filming process but, even though the show sold to a major network, no studio wanted to take project. She struck a deal with Kelsey Grammer, and his involvement with Paramount Pictures was able to sign on as an executive producer for the show.[21] Girlfriends premiered on September 11, 2000, and became a part of UPN's Monday night prime time lineup. Chronicling the life of Joan Clayton, played by Tracee Ellis Ross, and her three friends, the show ran for eight seasons, lasting through the production switch from UPN and the launch of The CW network. The show's two-part series finale aired on the CW on February 11, 2008.

She also created and executive produced a spin-off to Girlfriends, The Game, along with her husband Salim Akil.[22][9] In 2009, Brock Akil became a consulting producer and writer for the ABC suburban sitcom Cougar Town.[23]

Following the launch of the CW network, Brock Akil created a spin-off series to her first show that follows the life of Joan's cousin, Melanie Barnett, played by Tia Mowry. She places her dreams of being a doctor on hold and moves to San Diego to be a supportive backbone to her boyfriend, professional football player Derwin Davis, played by Pooch Hall. The series ran on the CW network for three seasons until its abrupt ending in 2009. The show was canceled for about two years until it was picked up by BET and began production in Atlanta. The Game brought in 7.7 million viewers in its Season 4 premiere on BET.[24] After adding six more seasons to the series, the network released a statement on its website stating that the show would conclude after production of the seventh and eighth seasons.

2009–2020

She is the creator of BET's Being Mary Jane, starring Gabrielle Union premiered July 2, 2013, and became the couple's first hour-long scripted show. The show chronicles the life of Mary Jane Paul, a successful news anchor, and attempts to address the statistic that within the black community 42 percent of successful women will never marry.[11]

In March 2017, Brock Akil left ICM Partners to join Creative Artists Agency (CAA).[25]

The Akils created and executive produced a scripted superhero series, Black Lightning, based on DC Comics' Black Lightning series.[26] The show premiered on January 16, 2018.[27][28]

2020–present

On January 7, 2020, it was announced that Brock Akil had signed a script deal with Fox Entertainment to develop a series for the Fox broadcast network.[29] On September 9, it was announced that she had signed a multi-year overall deal with Netflix to produce new content.[30]

On September 27, 2021, she announced the launch of her new production company Story27 under her Netflix deal and the titles of three series and one documentary being developed.[31]

Personal life

Brock Akil is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs team in the NFL.[8] She loves to journal, especially before bedtime.[32] Along with friends Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sara Finney-Johnson and Felicia D. Henderson, she endows The Four Sisters Scholarship.[33]

Family and religion

She is married to Salim Akil who is also a producer, director and screenwriter. Their first encounter was in 1997 at Insomnia Cafe on Beverly Boulevard—where Mara often spent time writing—when Salim was visiting Los Angeles from the Bay Area while finishing work on his debut film Drylongso that he co-wrote. Their second encounter was in 1998 at a furniture shop on Melrose Avenue, by which point Salim had moved to LA to attend Columbia College Hollywood. They began dating before getting married in April 1999.[34][35][36] She had her first pregnancy in 2004 but may have suffered a miscarriage.[15] The couple have two children together: Yasin Ali Akil (born 2007) and Nasir Lukmon Akil (born 2009). Salim has an older daughter and an older son from before his marriage and is a grandfather.[9]

She and her husband are Sufi Muslims.[8][37] Mara Brock had been born into a Muslim household that followed the Nation of Islam. After her divorcee mother Joan Fullmore left California with her children and relocated to Missouri, they practiced Christianity—at first following the United Methodist Church, attending Emanuel Cleaver's congregation, and later following the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mara Brock reverted to Islam at some point before or during her relationship with Salim Akil.[8] In their semi-autobiographical TV series Love Is, the character of Nuri is depicted as being a non-practicing Muslim at the time she began dating Yasir, a practicing Muslim.[38]

Mara Brock Akil is one of six siblings. She has two full-siblings, William Brock III and sister Kara Bustos, and has three half-siblings through her father Wali Shamsuddin: Saiid Shamsuddin, Shamsie Shamsuddin and half-sister Chi'Mere Banks. Her brothers Shamsie and William are deceased, the latter in September 2020.[3]

In 2006, Staci Robinson filed a $40 million lawsuit against Brock Akil and The CW, accusing Brock Akil of stealing the concept of her TV series The Game from Robinson's then-unpublished novel Interceptions from when she allegedly showed it to her in 2001. Robinson argued she had thought of the show first because her novel chronicles the life of Stefanie Porter, a senior studying law at UCLA, who ceases her hopes of becoming a lawyer to support the dreams of her boyfriend, star football player Ricky Powers.[39]

The Akils created Love is, which was based on their relationship, but was canceled after a woman accused Salim of domestic violence in an alleged extramarital affair, as well as copyright infringement by using her screenplay as the basis for the series.[40][41] A statement made by Akil's lawyers denied all allegations.[42][43]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Producer Writer Notes
1994 With Honors No No Actress
2012 Sparkle Yes Yes
2013 The Start Up Yes No Television film
2023 Stamped from the Beginning Yes No Documentary

Television

Year Title Creator Producer Writer Director Notes
1993–1994 The Sinbad Show No No No No Production assistant
Also actress: "Keep the Faith"
1994 South Central No No Yes No
1996–1999 Moesha No Yes Yes No Producer: 22 episodes
Writing: 9 episodes
Also story editor: 9 episodes
1999–2000 The Jamie Foxx Show No Yes Yes No Supervising producer: 24 episodes
Executive producer: 1 episode
Writer: 4 episodes
2000–2008 Girlfriends Yes Yes Yes No
2006–2015 The Game Yes Yes Yes Yes Director: "Dust in the Wind"
2009 Leading Women No No No No Documentary
Self: Episode 2
2010 Cougar Town No Yes Yes No Consulting producer: 22 episodes
Writer: 2 episodes
2013–2019 Being Mary Jane Yes Yes Yes No
2015 Reed Between the Lines No Yes No No Executive producer: 3 episodes
2018 Love Is Yes Yes Yes Yes Director: 2 episodes
2018–2021 Black Lightning No Yes No No
2020 Make It Work! No No No No Television special; Self
2021 History of the Sitcom No No No No Documentary
Self: 3 episodes
2021–2022 The Game Yes Yes No No
2023 See It Loud: The History of Black Television No No No No Documentary
Self: 3 episodes

Awards and nominations

Award Date Category Nominee Result
BET Comedy
Awards 		September 28, 2004 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
September 27, 2005 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Girlfriends Won
Black Reel
Awards 		February 7, 2013 Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted Sparkle Nominated
February 13, 2014 Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted), TV Movie or Mini-Series Being Mary Jane Nominated
February 23, 2018 Outstanding Drama Series
(shared with Salim Akil, Greg Berlantir, Adam Giaudrone, Sarah Schechter, Jennifer Lence, Carl Ogawa, Melora Rivera, Joanie L. Woehler, Bonnie Weis) 		Black Lightning Nominated
NAACP Image
Awards 		March 3, 2002 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
March 8, 2003 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
March 6, 2004 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
March 19, 2005 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
February 26, 2006 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
March 2, 2007 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Girlfriends
(For "After the Storm") 		Nominated
February 14, 2008 Outstanding Comedy Series Girlfriends Nominated
February 12, 2009 Outstanding Comedy Series The Game Nominated
February 17, 2012 Outstanding Comedy Series The Game Nominated
February 1, 2013 Outstanding Comedy Series The Game Nominated
February 17, 2012 Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
(shared with Salim Akil) 		The Game
(For "Parachutes...Beach Chairs") 		Won
February 22, 2014 Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series The Game
(For "Blueprint Part 1" and "Blueprint Part 2") 		Nominated
February 6, 2015 Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series Being Mary Jane
(For "Über Love") 		Nominated
February 5, 2016 Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series
(shared with Jameal Turner, Keli Golf) 		Being Mary Jane Nominated
NAMIC Vision
Awards 		April 15, 2009 Comedy The Game Nominated
April 24, 2012 Comedy The Game Nominated
July 11, 2013 Comedy The Game Nominated
SHINE Awards October 26, 1999 Comedy Episode Moesha
(For "Birth Control") 		Won
October 24, 2001 Comedy Episode Girlfriends
(For "The Burning Vagina Monologues") 		Won
October 18, 2003 Comedy Episode Girlfriends
(For "The Pact") 		Nominated
Series Storyline Girlfriends
(For "AIDS Documentary") 		Nominated

References

  1. ^ "In the game". Chicago Tribune. October 11, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Lennon, Christine (September 14, 2022). "How an L.A. Writer Created the Kind of Workplace You Thought Only Existed on T.V." Sunset. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "William Bartido Brock, III". watkinsheritage.com. September 2020. Archived from the original on December 29, 2020.
  4. ^ "Mara Brock Akil's Babyshower". Essence. October 29, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  5. ^ Monié, Karine (September 30, 2021). "Step Inside Mara Brock Akil's '70s-Inspired Office Oasis (and the Most Beautiful Writer's Retreat in Town)". Architectural Digest. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  6. ^ Givhan, Robin (June 19, 2009). "Echoes of TV's first lady". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  7. ^ "Mara Brock Akil". alumni.northwestern.edu. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Aaron (September 29, 2006). "She's got 'Game'". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on October 21, 2006.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Hollywood's Undercover Hitmakers: Salim and Mara Brock Akil". The Hollywood Reporter. August 9, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "Mara Brock Akil '92: Making Her Voice Heard". Fall 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Mara Brock Akil - Medill - Northwestern University". medill.northwestern.edu. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015.
  12. ^ Dawkins, Breajna (October 14, 2022). "Showrunner Mara Brock Akil (BSJ96) talks career successes and life lessons with Dean E. Patrick Johnson". Communication.Northwestern.edu. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Chapman, Wilson (February 21, 2021). "Mara's World, Mara's Way: Mara Brock Akil brings her unique vision of life and love to Netflix". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  14. ^ "They Want Their MTV To Want Them". Chicago Tribune. February 11, 1991. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Girlfriend - with an Agenda, Spring 2004, Northwestern Magazine". www.northwestern.edu. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  16. ^ "Sunday Sitdown with Mara Brock Akil, who's brought black women's voices to TV". Chicago Sun-Times. October 24, 2015. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024.
  17. ^ Golding, Shenequa (March 24, 2015). "First Take: Mara Brock Akil's Blueprint For Running Your Own Show". Vibe. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Akil, Mara Brock (December 20, 2023). "Mara Brock Akil on 'My So-Called Life': 'It Was a Beacon for What Was Possible'". Variety. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Finley, Taryn (February 5, 2021). "Mara Brock Akil Broke the Mold for Black Characters on TV — And She Isn't Done Yet". HuffPost. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "How Mara Brock Akil Plans To Save TV". The Fader. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  21. ^ "Mara Brock Akil Opens Up About A "Girlfriends Movie' On The Breakfast Club: Says She Needs Money To Get Movie Done". Comedy Hype. July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  22. ^ Danielle, Britni (May 19, 2017). "How 'Black Lightning' director Salim Akil co-created the show and why". Andscape. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  23. ^ Tisdale, Stacey (July 27, 2015). "[VIDEO] "Being Mary Jane" Producer Mara Brock Akil Gets Real About Passion and Money". Black Enterprise. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  24. ^ "Exclusive: Mara Brock Akil Talks Ending The Game on BET". BET.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  25. ^ "CAA Signs 'The Game' & 'Being Mary Jane' Creator Mara Brock Akil". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  26. ^ "Mara Brock Akil's Superhero Drama Is Moving To The CW". Essence.com. February 6, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  27. ^ 'Black Lightning': Richmond native brings new-look superhero to The CW, Eastbay Times, January 12, 2018
  28. ^ Horne, Karama (November 6, 2018). "Salim Akil talks Black Lightning, Milestone Comics and the Power of Normalizing the Image of the Black Family". theblerdgurl. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  29. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (January 7, 2020). "Mara Brock Akil Signs Fox Entertainment Script Deal". Variety. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  30. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 9, 2020). "Mara Brock Akil Inks Overall Deal With Netflix As Streamer Sets Premiere Date For Her Series 'Girlfriends'". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  31. ^ "Mara Brock Akil Launches New Production Company Under Netflix Deal, Hires Susie Fitzgerald". September 27, 2021.
  32. ^ King, Akili (June 7, 2022). "Esteemed Screenwriter & Producer Mara Brock Akil on the Beauty of Aging". roseinc.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  33. ^ Franco, Ariela (August 4, 2005). "'Four Sisters' Endow New UCLA Scholarship for Film and Television Students to Portray the African American Experience" (Press release). University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  34. ^ Porter, Lauren (October 23, 2020). "Mara Brock Akil Gives A Word About Happy Marriages and The Real Secret To Keeping Your Spouse Interested". Essence. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  35. ^ Johnson, Victoria (June 19, 2018). "Mara Brock Akil on Love Is_, Her Marriage, and Why She Isn't 'Begging' for a Girlfriends Movie". Vulture. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  36. ^ Mara Brock Akil & Salim Akil Ink Overall Deal With Warner Bros TV, Deadline, August 5, 2015
  37. ^ "The Couple Behind Being Mary Jane on What It's Like as Muslims to Watch the Rise of Trump". Slate. October 20, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  38. ^ "Love Is___ EP Previews Nuri and Yasir's Post-First Date 'Cocoon Phase'". TVLine. July 3, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
    "OWN's Love Is___ Premiere". TVLine. June 19, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  39. ^ "TV Barn". October 18, 2006. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  40. ^ Henderson, Cydney. "OWN cancels 'Love Is _' amid domestic violence allegations against producer Salim Akil". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  41. ^ "Amber Dixon Brenner v. Salim Akil et al". JUSTIA Dockets & Filings. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  42. ^ Patten, Dominic; Ramos, Dino-Ray (December 2, 2018). "'Black Lightning' EP Salim Akil Says Abuse Claims "Totally Untrue"". Deadline. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  43. ^ "AMBER DIXON BRENNER VS SALIM AKIL". Unicourt. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
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