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Salim Akil
Akil at the 2018 WonderCon.
Born
Oakland, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, producer
Years active1999–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1999)​
Children2

Salim Akil is an American film and television producer, director, and screenwriter from Oakland, California.[1] He developed the television series Black Lightning based on a DC comics character of the same name. He is a co-founder of Akil Productions which he founded with his wife Mara Brock Akil.[2]

Early life and education

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Akil was born in Oakland, California. He attended Columbia College Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.[3]

Career

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Akil began his production career in 1999, working on the film Drylongso, which played at the Sundance Film Festival later that year.[4] In 2000, he worked as a staff writer and executive producer on the Showtime series Soul Food.[5] That same year, he founded Akil Productions, then known as Happy Camper Productions, with his wife Mara Brock Akil.[6] Mara later created the show Girlfriends, which premiered in 2000 on UPN, with Salim directing several episodes. The show's spin-off The Game premiered in 2006 on The CW, with Salim serving as an executive producer.[7] In 2011, he directed the film Jumping the Broom,[8] which was nominated for a BET Award for Best Movie;[9] he also won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Director in a Motion Picture for the film that same year.[10] In 2012, he directed and co-produced a remake of the film Sparkle.[11] Akil executive produced the BET series Being Mary Jane, created by Mara, which premiered in 2014. In 2016, he received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the show's episode "Sparrow", as well as a nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television) for The Start Up.[12] He later began developing the show Black Lightning, which premiered in 2018 on The CW. He has written and directed several episodes of the series since its premiere. In February 2021, Akil confirmed a spin-off of Black Lightning titled Painkiller was in production.[13][14]

Personal life

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Akil married Mara Brock in 1999. The two met while working on the set of Moesha.[4] They have two sons.[7][15] He and his wife, Mara, are practicing Sufi Muslims. The Akils created Love is ___, which was based on their relationship, but was canceled after a woman accused Salim of domestic violence in an alleged extramarital affair, as well as copyright infringement by using her screenplay as the basis for the series.[16][17] A statement made by Akil's lawyers denied all allegations.[18][19]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Result Category Work
2012 NAACP Image Awards Won Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
(shared with Mara Brock Akil) 		The Game
(For episode "Parachutes...Beach Chairs")
Nominated Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series[10]
Won Outstanding Director in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television) Jumping the Broom
2016 NAACP Image Awards Nominated Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Being Mary Jane

(For episode "Sparrow")

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television) The Start Up
2018 Black Reel Awards Won Outstanding Drama Series

(Shared with Mara Brock Akil, Greg Berlanti and other producers)

Black Lightning

References

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  1. ^ Braxton, Greg (August 11, 2012). "Showbiz couple strive to make it 'Sparkle'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Salim Akil". BET.com. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "Salim Akil". Variety. December 17, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Hollywood's Undercover Hitmakers: Salim and Mara Brock Akil". The Hollywood Reporter. August 9, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (October 3, 2012). "Showrunners 2012: 'The Game's' Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  6. ^ Tisdale, Stacey (July 27, 2015). "[VIDEO] "Being Mary Jane" Producer Mara Brock Akil Gets Real About Passion and Money". Black Enterprise. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Danielle, Britni (May 19, 2017). "How 'Black Lightning' director Salim Akil co-created the show and why". Andscape. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Buckwalter, Ian (May 5, 2011). "'Jumping The Broom': Worlds (And Moms) Collide". NPR. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  9. ^ "BET Awards 2012 Winners & Nominees". BET.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "NAACP Image Award Winners Include 'The Help,' Stars Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis". The Hollywood Reporter. February 17, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  11. ^ Samuels, Allison (July 9, 2012). "Meet Sparkle Producers Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil". Newsweek. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "'Straight Outta Compton,' 'Empire,' Michael B. Jordan Top NAACP Image Awards". Variety. February 6, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  13. ^ Horne, Karama (February 13, 2021). "Black Lightning showrunner talks final season, Painkiller spinoff, and teases Ishmael". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  14. ^ Perkins, Njera. "'Black Lightning' Creator Salim Akil On How The Final Season Speaks To What's Happening In Real-Time". Shadow and Act. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  15. ^ "Showbiz couple strive to make it 'Sparkle'". Los Angeles Times. August 11, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  16. ^ Henderson, Cydney. "OWN cancels 'Love Is _' amid domestic violence allegations against producer Salim Akil". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  17. ^ "Amber Dixon Brenner v. Salim Akil et al". JUSTIA Dockets & Filings. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  18. ^ Patten, Dominic; Ramos, Dino-Ray (December 2, 2018). "'Black Lightning' EP Salim Akil Says Abuse Claims "Totally Untrue"". Deadline. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  19. ^ "AMBER DIXON BRENNER VS SALIM AKI". Unicourt. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
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