Culture

Mara Brock Akil Inks Overall Deal With Netflix For Original Content

by BOTWC Staff

September 16, 2020

We’re excited to see what she creates!

Legendary showrunner Mara Brock Akil just inked an overall deal with Netflix for original content, Deadline reports.

The famed creator is known for her bevy of hit shows, including The Game, Being Mary Jane, and Girlfriends, the latter of which released on Netflix on September 11.

For years, Brock Akil has been cranking out hit after hit, giving us fantastic television centered on Black life, Black love and Black culture, with over 400 produced episodes under her belt. Girlfriends, her first hit comedy, debuted in 2000 and ruan for eight seasons. Next came The Game, quickly garnering a cult-like following, running for three seasons on the CW and another six seasons on BET, making cable history with 7.7 million views for the Season 4 premiere.

Brock Akil previously had an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV, where she created two series, Black Lightning on the CW and Love Is on OWN. Earlier this year, she announced a partnership with Fox Entertainment for a premium blind script deal.

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GRATITUDE // What does gratitude feel like after a week like this? After career achievements have come into alignment? After God allowed me a peek inside of The Plan for me? It feels like balloons, bubbles, stardust and fireflies…. I am still sorting thru the tsunami of love I have received this week celebrating my #NetflixDeal and #20thAnniversary of #GirlfriendsOnNetflix. Thank you for giving me my flowers while I can see them, enjoy them and smell them in this lifetime… it is JOY! This picture is of me on the night my first ever episode of TV was produced. I was a #staffwriter on #Moesha and my episode was entitled #TheJob. Such a full circle moment. #InTheLandOf #SmellingTheRoses

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A post shared by Mara Bella (@maraakil) on Sep 12, 2020 at 4:45pm PDT

Channing Dungey, VP Original Series at Netflix, spoke about the new partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Mara Brock Akil to Netflix. Her signature storytelling, authentic perspective and captivating characters have long entertained audiences and proven to be relevant, timely and endlessly engaging. We look forward to bringing her distinct voice, vision and passion to our global members.”

As a creator, Brock Akil has been praised for her work, most recently being honored with the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award by NATPE for her outstanding contributions to television and “for exhibiting extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision through her work.”

“It is a dream to partner with the force of Netflix, for we have the same goals – telling human stories for a global audience,” Brock Akil said. “I’m excited to have a home that allows me the creative freedom and support to do what I do best – paint portraits and murals of women, Black people and anyone else whose story is missing from this golden age of television. Representation matters, and so does whom you build with – I can’t wait to work closely with Channing Dungey and her team to launch some great stories.”