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'Black-ish' Star Marsai Martin Just Set Herself Up To Become The Youngest Executive Producer In History & I'm Inspired AF

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When the comedic film, Little, hits theaters this spring, 14-year-old Marsai Martin—best known for her role as Diane Johnson in Black-ish—will make history as the youngest executive producer of a major Hollywood motion picture.

Little is a modernized twist on Big (1988), which co-stars Regina Hall in the role of Jordan Sanders, a cold tech entrepreneur who wakes up to discover she is transformed into a 13-year-old version of herself, played by Martin. Issa Rae (HBO’s Insecure) co-stars as Jordan’s long-suffering assistant, April, the only one who knows her boss is trapped in the body of a middle-schooler.

As Martin prepares to make Hollywood history, let's take a look at how she got herself to this point...

She began her acting career when she was 5-years-old.

In an interview with TIME, Martin shared that her passion for performing began as a 2-year-old, when her parents were amazed to find her acting out scenes from Dreamgirls. “I think it’s been in my blood for a long time,” she said. According to IMDB, at the age of 5, she was immediately signed at the Kim Dawson Agency in Dallas.

Martin's first feature film was an American Girl film.

Martin starred in An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win, which is part of the American Girl franchise. The film tells the story of Melody, a young girl growing up in a segregated city who integrates into a white school. Similar to the actress herself, Marsai’s character is brave, vocal and aspirational.

She pitched the film, Little, at the age of 10.

The Black-ish star had the idea for the film after falling in love with the Tom Hanks film, Big. She ended up pitching the idea to Black-ish Executive Producer Kenya Barris when she was only 10-years-old (Ten, people! Makes me question what I was doing when I was 10).

“I hope that [in 21 years] we won't even have to be a first anymore: first black woman to do this, or first black male, or first woman to do that,” she told Teen Vogue. “I hope that we always have diversity, that we have equality and representation every step of the way.”

Others' opinions about her hustle won't stop her, as Martin recalled that she even fired an agent who suggested she “just chill and take a break” during a hiatus, instead of working on new projects. “People look at this 10-year-old girl or 14-year-old girl and seem to think, she's so small, what does she know?” Martin sais. “My peers are still growing and they have so many ideas, too. Sure, we can't drink or drive, but we can do the same things adults can. When they recognize us for what we're actually doing, they'll see us in a different light. That actually motivates me to keep going.”

Martin achieved what many adults wish they could have within her first 100 days in LA.

As soon as Martin moved to Los Angeles in late 2013, she quickly secured a major national commercial campaign with Meineke and was cast on ABC's hit show, Black-ish, in which she won two NAACP Image Awards and a Young Artist Award for her role as Diane Johnson.

Martin was one of TIME's "25 Most Influential Teens of 2018."

The actress was named one of TIME's"25 Most Influential Teens of 2018," for her incredible accomplishments at the age of 14.

Martin also campaigned for Stacey Abrams in Georgia and used Instagram to encourage her 460,000 followers she now boasts over half a million) to go to the polls despite not being of age to vote. “When you really believe in something,” Martin said, “you will stand up for it. You will push for it to become a reality.”

Talk about INSPIRING. Marsai Martin is proof that age doesn't matter when it comes to chasing your career goals, and I'm definitely going to support her when Little hits theaters on April 12.


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