After making history as he youngest executive producer in Hollywood, 14-year-old Marsai Martin is continuing to leave her mark as the black-ish and Little star has now inked a first-look deal with Universal, becoming the youngest to ever do so with the studio and the youngest to sign a deal of this kind with any Hollywood studio in recent times according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The deal includes Martin and her Genius Productions company which includes a team composed of Joshua Martin (co-founder), Carol Martin (vice president) and Prince Baggett (head of creative).
Martin's role as an executive producer first came to be when she took on the position for her upcoming film Little, in which she co-stars alongside Regina Hall and Issa Rae and co-produces with Will Packer.
"Working with emerging talent is a cornerstone of Universal's overall slate strategy, and Marsai is a star on the rise," said Peter Cramer, president of Universal Pictures. "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. We look forward to moviegoers getting to see how brilliant she is in Little and watching her evolve as a filmmaker here at Universal."
The first project reportedly being devleoped under Genius Productions is StepMonster, which is set to star Martin as a teenage girl who is adjusting to 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. [Donna] 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!"
