or


[08/25/16 - 08:01 AM]
Amazon Original Live-Action American Girl Special "Melody" Casts Marsai Martin in Lead Role
Executive produced by Common, Melody will also star Frances Fisher as Miss Abbot, Frankie Faison as Melody's grandfather Frank Ellison, and Idara Victor as Melody's mother Frances Ellison.
[via press release from Amazon]

Amazon Original Live-Action American Girl Special "Melody" Casts Marsai Martin in Lead Role; Common to Executive Produce and Frances Fisher, Frankie Faison and Idara Victor to Star

Marsai Martin (Black-ish) has been cast in Amazon's original upcoming American Girl live-action special Melody, 1963: Love Has to Win, an American Girl Story as Melody, which will premiere on Amazon Prime Video this fall. Executive produced by Common (Selma), Melody will also star Frances Fisher (Titanic) as Miss Abbot, Frankie Faison (The Wire) as Melody's grandfather Frank Ellison, and Idara Victor (Rizzoli & Isles) as Melody's mother Frances Ellison.

Based in 1963 Detroit during the civil rights movement, Melody centers around a 10-year-old girl Melody (Martin) whose eyes are opened to the racial inequality surrounding her, including the 1963 Birmingham Church Bombing. As a result, her belief in the "indivisible" promise of our country's Pledge of Allegiance comes into question as she challenges her teacher on the validity of this given the horrific tragedy. After an emotional journey of self-reflection, her mother gives her the courage she needs by reminding her that it's important to "stand up for what's right, even when it's hard or scary."

This project is written and executive produced by Alison McDonald (Roots), directed and produced by Tina Mabry (Mississippi Damned, Queen Sugar), executive produced by Common's Freedom Road Productions. Christopher Keenan and Melinda McCrocklin are executive producers for American Girl. The Melody special is an Amazon adaptation on American Girl's original created stories written by Denise Lewis Patrick.

Amazon and American Girl have also partnered to feature unique Melody product collections in the American Girl brand store at Amazon: www.amazon.com/americangirl.

Born in Plano, Texas, Marsai Martin currently plays the sassy youngest daughter "Diane" on ABC's Emmy nominated comedy Black-ish, alongside Anthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne. Her work on the award-winning show has earned her a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and a Young Artists Award for Best Performance in a TV Series. Marsai most recently performed in the 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Tony Award winning Musical Dreamgirls with the original stars (Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine and Jennifer Holliday), singing the hit song "Move." Marsai also recently worked on the films How To Die Happy with Meagan Good, and Fun Mom Dinner, with Toni Collette and Adam Levine.

Amazon's American Girl Melody special will be available for Prime members using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices visit http://www.amazon.com/howtostream.





  [august 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)




[08/31/26 - 12:48 PM]
TNT Sports' College Football Coverage Highlighted by Season-Long Big 12 Football, Expanded Five-Game CFP Lineup & Multiplatform Programming Across TNT, truTV, HBO Max & Bleacher Report
Kicking off TNT's second year of Big 12 football, the West Virginia Mountaineers will host the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday, September 5, at Noon ET on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.
[08/31/26 - 11:03 AM]
ESPN Announces MLB Game of the Day Schedule for September
The September slate includes games on ESPN's linear networks and the ESPN App through MLB.TV, along with a daily selection of out-of-market matchups available through ESPN Unlimited's Game of the Day offering.
[08/31/26 - 10:09 AM]
Norman Reedus Joins James Marsden in a New Action Thriller Series "Disavowed" Coming to Apple TV
Art Marcum and Matt Holloway are behind the project.
[08/31/26 - 10:00 AM]
Pluto TV Expands Its Anime Strategy with Major Franchises, Broader English Dub Access and New Simulcast Programming
More than 45 billion minutes of anime content were streamed in the U.S. in 2025, according to Nielsen, underscoring the genre's growing place in mainstream entertainment.

[08/31/26 - 09:31 AM]
"Tires" Renewed for Season 4 on Netflix
The news arrives as Season 3 earned its highest-ever ranking on the Global Top 10 English TV list, reaching #5 the week of August 17, 2026.

[08/31/26 - 09:01 AM]
Netflix's "Lupin" Part 4 - First Look Debut
Part 4 will premiere on October 23 on Netflix.
[08/31/26 - 08:31 AM]
Manny Halley Nets Five Bonus Episodes of Hit Mockumentary Comedy Series "Lot Patrol" on BET
The five bonus episodes will be shot at IMANI Studio, Manny Halley's newly rebranded production facility in Pacoima, formerly operated as Quixote North Valley Studios.
[08/31/26 - 08:00 AM]
HBO Original Documentary Series "A Killer Story" Debuts September 10
The three-part documentary series examines a polarizing murder case that spanned more than two decades and captured national attention.
[08/31/26 - 07:31 AM]
Roku Originals and Paris Hilton's 11:11 Media Revisit Fame, Frenzy and Pop Culture in "The It Girls: Inside the 2000s" (wt)
The upcoming documentary will go behind the glossy images of early 2000s tabloid culture to tell the stories of the women who became headlines - and the women still living that story today.

[08/31/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Tyler Perry's Doing Life" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A single mother and an incarcerated man forge an unlikely bond through heartfelt letters, unlocking a door to redemption, hope and love against all odds.
[08/31/26 - 07:01 AM]
"Maxton Hall," The Final Season Premieres December 9
Nothing will ever be the same.
[08/31/26 - 06:00 AM]
HBO Max Brings "The Howard Stern Show" to Streaming, Debuting September 17
Each week, Howard's SiriusXM show will be adapted into a streamable episode for HBO Max.
[08/30/26 - 08:01 PM]
Video: "My Happy Marriage" Special Episodes - Official Teaser - Netflix
As their relationship blossoms, the young couple face new challenges as Miyo meets Kiyoka's parents and ominous conspirators threaten their peace.
[08/30/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Outside" - Official Trailer - Netflix
"Outside" is the Sidemen's latest spin-off, moving the action from "Inside's" four walls into the forest.
[08/28/26 - 01:05 PM]
Spot the Liar on October 30: Netflix Unveils Launch Date and First Look Images for Swedish Psychological Thriller "A Couple of Lies"
Based on the novel by the same name by best-selling crime author Stefan Ahnhem, the limited series follows two couples whose dream holiday home swap spirals into something far more dangerous, leaving them unsure whether they can even trust the person they love.