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Marsai Martin is the very definition of a prodigy. When she was only 10, she landed a lead role in the hit TV series black-ish. And at 14, she produced Little, starring alongside Issa Rae and Regina Hall, and became the youngest executive producer ever of a major studio production — a distinction that she holds as a Guinness World Record.
But Martin is just as eager to get rid of the title as she was achieving it, telling Rotten Tomatoes Awards Editor and Seen on the Screen host Jacqueline Coley, "I would love for it to be broken. That's the goal, you want people to be able to accomplish the things you accomplished at that age or even younger."
The next generation has always been an interest of hers, and it's why she founded the Marsai's Way Foundation, named after her cousin, Marsai Chari Murry, who was tragically killed by a stray bullet. "[The program's] keeping her name alive as well as supporting women of color in any of the creative arts they want to pursue," Martin says. She elaborates on the nonprofit's goal, explaining that she wants to "make sure [women of color] have the tools to move forward... [Other programs] show the business side, but not how to handle things when certain situations come along."
Aside from her philanthropic ambitions, Martin is also attached to star and produce her dream project, an adaptation of Amari and the Night Brothers, a fantasy series that follows a teenager searching for her missing brother and uncovering a world of magic and monsters. She talks about her connection to the books, mentioning that they "shine a light on the Black girls who are really trying to find themselves."
Check out the full Seen on the Screen episode above, where Martin also talks about her love for Shrek, working on The Masked Singer, and becoming the new Destiny's Child with Issa Rae and Regina Hall.
Little can be streamed on Fandango at Home.
Seen on the Screen is a Universal Entertainment and Fandango podcast series hosted by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes.
Claim your ticket to witness the personal narratives happening behind the scenes of film and entertainment! Each episodes invites you into intimate conversations with filmmakers, actors, and industry insiders. Blending sharp cinematic trivia with thoughtfully crafted interview questions, Jacqueline leads each guest through a rich, reflective journey into their lifelong relationship with entertainment. From the formative movie-going experiences that shaped their artistic worldview to their career-defining moves — asking them to reflect on the films that have rocked their world, scared the daylights out of them, and changed them forever.
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