GIRL GENIUS: 14-year-old ‘black-ish’ star Marsai Martin inks first-look deal with Universal

Martin will develop and star in 'StepMonster' under the new deal.

Feb 7, 2019

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Black women in Hollywood have been making some serious headway when it comes to taking control of their careers and creating content that represents themselves on the big and small screens lately and Marsai Martin is carving out her own path as a power player despite her status as a teenager.

The black-ish star just inked a first-look deal with Universal, meaning fans will get to see a lot more projects from the 14-year-old and her production company, Genius Productions.

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According to TheWrap:

Martin will develop scripted projects alongside Genius Productions co-founder Joshua Martin, vice president Carol Martin, and head of creative Prince Baggett. The first project that will be developed through the deal is “StepMonster,” a comedy starring Martin as a teenage girl who is adjusting to life with a new stepmother and has to learn that sometimes the only way to tame a monster is to make peace with it… especially if the monster is you.

“I am so excited for the magic I’ll be able to create and produce with Universal,” Martin said. “Mr. Cramer and Ms. Langley’s commitment to investing in and uplifting diverse and young voices is both refreshing and important, and I’m happy to be a part of that legacy. My goal is to show young women and girls that our voices and ideas matter and you are never too young to dream BIG!”

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Universal seems just as excited to work with one of Tinseltown’s youngest talents.

“Working with emerging talent is a cornerstone of Universal’s overall slate strategy and Marsai is a star on the rise,” said Universal president Peter Cramer. “She is not only tremendously talented in front of the camera, but offers a unique perspective as a creator and producer that will resonate with all audiences.”