Mara Brock Akil
Mara Brock Akil
Mara Brock Akil is an American television writer and producer. She began her screenwriting career at age 23 on South Central (1994) on Fox. At age 30, she became the youngest African American showrunner on broadcast network television when she created the sitcom Girlfriends, airing on UPN (2000–06) and its successor The CW (2006–08), and is the first African American female showrunner to have two
"I often attribute my screenwriting to journalism because they drill in the who, what, when, where and why - but we really need to land on that why. Thats what Ive been exploring in my writing for many years and trying to get better at."
Mara Brock Akil"Sometimes, we only get to know someone as one aspect of who they are. Then you start peeling back the layers and understanding more and more about who they are - their vulnerabilities, their fears, their joys, all those other words that equal humanity."
Mara Brock Akil"Technology has changed our industry, and I think thats opened up different revenue streams and ways to make money and distribute television. Its made the global conversation easier, quicker."
Mara Brock Akil"For me, I start at the place that my characters are human. I start at the place that they are onions that are layered and meant to be peeled, just as we as human beings are."
Mara Brock Akil"Im hoping that the legacy of Girlfriends is just that you can enjoy and connect to Joan, Maya, Toni, Lynn, and William and see your humanity reflected in theirs. Thats what Im hoping that it did."
Mara Brock Akil
