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Marsai Martin’s transition from child producer to 20-year-old mogul has made her wise beyond her years

“I was still so small. I didn’t even know what I was really walking into. I didn’t feel nervous at all,” Marsai Martin tells Variety, looking back at her early years in the business. “Nine-year-old me had the confidence to walk into any room.”

That self-assurance helped the gifted actor make history, becoming the youngest person to sign a first-look deal at a studio at 14 years old. The pact came about after the preteen produced a comedy, “Little,” that she pitched to Universal when she was nine. Martin co-starred with Regina Hall and Issa Rae in the 2019 film, which was a modest hit, earning $48 million at the global box office.

Now 20, Martin admits that the subsequent years in the rough-and-tumble entertainment business left some bruises. She scored with the 2022 sports comedy “Fantasy Football” on Paramount+,...

Popular and pre-existing IP has reigned supreme in Hollywood as most studios and streamers look to continue the success of former franchises for an easy win. But that’s not a trend Nicole Dow is aiming to pursue.

As the head of TV for Marsai Martin’s Genius Entertainment, her formula isn’t overly complicated. Dow breaks down their development slate into three specific categories: kids and family, young adult, and new adult.

The latter of which is a less explored territory. The genre first came about within the last 15 year — and only recently gained steam online with authors like Colleen Hoover (“It Ends With Us”) and Casey McQuiston leading the charge. As the name explains, new adult covers the emerging adult generation between the ages of 18-29.

“It’s the first foray into the world where your ego comes smashing into reality, or the cringe-worthy stuff that happens from...

The new live-action TV series "Saturdays", created by Norman Vance Jr., stars Danielle Jalade, Daria Johns, Golden Brooks, Omar Gooding, Jermaine Harris, Peyton Basnight and Tim Johnson Jr., streaming March 25, 2023 on Disney+:

"...'Simone' and 'Ari' hone their roller skating skills...

"...on the cool parquet floor of 'Saturdays', a local skating rink in Chicago. 

"Together they form the 'We-b-Girlz' skate crew and are determined to show and prove they have the hottest skate routines on the planet..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Saturdays is coming to Disney Channel later this month, and the cable channel has released a trailer and key art. The coming-of-age series focuses on a roller skating team in Chicago who are trying to hone their skills. Danielle Jalade, Daria Johns, Golden Brooks, Omar Gooding, Jermaine Harris, Tim Johnson Jr., and Peyton Basnight star in the new show.

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The new live-action TV series "Saturdays", created by Norman Vance Jr., stars Danielle Jalade ("Yes Day") as 'Paris Johnson', Daria Johns ("Nappily Ever After") as 'Simone Samson', Golden Brooks ("Girlfriends'') as 'Deb Johnson', Omar Gooding ("Barbershop") as 'Cal Johnson', Jermaine Harris ("The Map of Tiny Perfect Things") as 'London Johnson', Peyton Basnight ("Sudden Sisters") as 'Ari' and Tim Johnson Jr. ("Ballers") as 'Derek "D-Rok', streaming March 25, 2023 on Disney+:

"...'Simone' and 'Ari' hone their roller skating skills on the cool parquet floor of 'Saturdays', a local skating rink in Chicago. Together they form the 'We-b-Girlz' skate crew and are determined to show and prove they have the hottest skate routines on the planet..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Spending their Saturdays at Saturdays is what a trio of best friends live for in the trailer for a new comedy coming to Disney Channel and Disney+. #Saturdays

Set to premiere Friday, March 24 on Disney Channel (with back-to-back episodes starting at 8:30/7:30c) and stream Saturdays, natch, on Disney+, Saturdays is described as a single-cam coming-of-age comedy that “only takes place on the best day of the week… Saturday!” as it follows 14-year-old Paris Johnson (played by Yes Day‘s Danielle Jalade) and her best friends, Simone and Ari (mixed-ish‘s Daria Johns and Sudden Sisters‘ Peyton Basnight), as...

Secrets of Sulphur Springs has a return date. Season three of the time-travel mystery series will premiere on Friday, March 24th, on Disney Channel and it will be joined by the premiere of Saturdays – a new coming-of-age comedy series.

Starring Preston Oliver, Kyliegh Curran, Elle Graham, Kelly Frye, Landon Gordon, Madeleine McGraw, and Diandra Lyle. Johari Washington, Ethan Hutchison, Eugene Byrd, and Kenneisha Thompson, Secrets of Sulphur Springs follows the adventures of a boy and his friends as they uncover the mysteries of the haunted hotel where he lives.

As for Saturdays, that series stars Danielle Jalade, Daria Johns, Golden Brooks, Omar Gooding, Jermaine Harris, Tim Johnson Jr., and Peyton Basnight. The single-camera comedy follows young Paris Johnson (Jalade) and her friends as they hone their skills at a skating rink in Chicago. Two episodes of the series will air...