Oprah Winfrey and Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil Partner on new OWN Series

 

Oprah Winfrey and Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil, the award-winning producers behind such hits as โ€œBeing Mary Jane,โ€ โ€œThe Gameโ€ and โ€œGirlfriends,โ€ have partnered together to create โ€œLove Is ___โ€ a new original one-hour series for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

The Akils will create and executive produce the series through their Akil Productions banner with Mara Brock Akil also serving as showrunner. Drawing inspiration from their real-life relationship, the humorous drama tells the love story between a modern-day power couple. Produced in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television, the series will premiere on OWN in 2018.

The new series joins OWNโ€™s growing lineup of top-rated scripted dramas including โ€œQueen Sugar,โ€ โ€œGreenleaf,โ€ โ€œThe Haves and the Have Notsโ€ and โ€œIf Loving You is Wrong,โ€ which year-to-date comprise four of the top six original scripted series on ad-supported cable for women 25-54.

โ€œI’ve dreamed of working with the Akils,โ€ said Oprah Winfrey. โ€œI’ve been a huge fan of their work since first viewing โ€˜Girlfriends.โ€™ They know just how to hit the cultural nerve to make you think and laugh at the same time.โ€

โ€œTo have a partner that brings the attention to detail and sheer excellence that Oprah has built an empire on is an absolute dream come true for Salim and me,โ€ said Mara Brock Akil. โ€œThat, and itโ€™s Oprah! โ€˜Love Is ___โ€™ is not only a passion project, but is a personal one for us as well. Weโ€™re grateful to have her wholehearted support and magic touch behind this story.โ€

About the Series
The Akils often hear that they โ€œpersonify black loveโ€; after all, they balance successful careers and a beautiful family. In the world of Black Hollywood, they navigate a complex set of social codes, and this series will explore it all, from the good to the bad… to the โ€˜90s, because that’s where this definitive love story of a modern-day power couple all began.

Mara Brock Akil won the 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series for โ€œBeing Mary Jane,โ€ and the 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for โ€œThe Game,โ€ and received three other NAACP Outstanding Writing nominations for โ€œBeing Mary Janeโ€ (2015), โ€œThe Gameโ€ (2014), and โ€œGirlfriendsโ€ (2007).ย  Salim Akil also won the 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for โ€œThe Gameโ€ (shared with Mara Brock Akil), and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television) for โ€œJumping the Broomโ€ the same year.ย  He has received five additional NAACP Image Award nominations for directing, for โ€œBeing Mary Jane,โ€ โ€œThe Start Up,โ€ โ€œThe Gameโ€ and โ€œGirlfriends.โ€

Between them, the Akils have written, produced and/or directed more than 350 episodes of primetime television series. Up next for The Akils and their Akil Productions banner is the highly anticipated upcoming Warner Bros. Television/DC drama series โ€œBlack Lightning,โ€ for The CW, which they are executive producing, with Salim Akil taking the reins as showrunner.

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