The woman behind some of our favorite TV shows — Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane and The Game — is now bringing more of her magic to Netflix. The streaming service announced Wednesday that Mara Brock Akil will create scripted and other original content in a multi-year agreement.
“It is a dream to partner with the force of Netflix, for we have the same goals—telling human stories for a global audience,” Akil began in a statement. “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 who you build with. I can’t wait to work closely with [Netflix’s VP Original Series] Channing Dungey and her team to launch some great stories,” Akil concluded.
It comes as Netflix is now offering our favorite Black sit-coms, including Akil’s The Game, streaming now, and Girlfriends, which will be available to binge starting Friday, which also happens to be the show’s 20th anniversary. (Get ready to say, “Oh, Joan, girl no!” over and over and over again.)
If you want to celebrate the iconic series that is Girlfriends, hop over to StrongBlackLead on Instagram Live Friday at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET, where Akil will be hosting. Of course there will be special guest appearances (crossing our fingers for Girlfriends‘ stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Jill Marie Jones, Persia White and Golden Brooks to be in the mix!).
GIRLFRIENDS, (from left): Jill Jones, Golden Brooks, Tracee Ellis Ross, Persia White, (Season 1), 2000-08. © Paramount Television
Immediately following, there will be a Twitter watch party of the first two episodes at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. Follow along using the hashtag, #GirlfriendsOnNetflix.
Netflix is lucky to have Akil, who’s has written and produced over 400 episodes of TV, touching shows from Moesha to The Jamie Foxx Show. She and her husband, Salim Akil, also wrote and produced the film, Sparkle, along with TV shows Black Lightning and Love Is.
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