Salim Akil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salim Akil
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Akil at the 2018 WonderCon.
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| Born |
Oakland, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Salim Akil is a talented American producer, director, and writer for movies and TV shows. He was born in Oakland, California. He helped create the TV series Black Lightning, which is about a cool DC Comics superhero. He also started a company called Akil Productions with his wife, Mara Brock Akil.
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Early Life and Education
Salim Akil grew up in Oakland, California. He later went to college in Los Angeles to study film and TV.
Career in Film and Television
Salim Akil started his career in 1999. He worked on a film called Drylongso. This movie was shown at the famous Sundance Film Festival.
In 2000, he became a writer and producer for the TV show Soul Food on Showtime. That same year, he and his wife, Mara Brock Akil, started their own company. It was first called Happy Camper Productions, but later became Akil Productions.
Mara Brock Akil created the popular show Girlfriends, which started in 2000. Salim directed many episodes of this show. Later, a spin-off show called The Game began in 2006. Salim was an executive producer for The Game.
In 2011, Salim directed the movie Jumping the Broom. This movie was nominated for a BET Award for Best Movie. He also won an NAACP Image Award for his directing work on the film.
Akil also directed and helped produce a new version of the movie Sparkle in 2012. He was an executive producer for the BET series Being Mary Jane, which Mara created. This show started in 2014.
In 2018, Salim Akil started developing the superhero show Black Lightning. It premiered on The CW. He has written and directed many episodes of this series. In 2021, he shared that a spin-off show called Painkiller was being made.
Personal Life
Salim Akil married Mara Brock Akil in 1999. They met while working on a TV show called Moesha. They have two sons together. Salim and Mara are both Sufi Muslims.
Awards and Nominations
Salim Akil has won several awards for his work in TV and film.
- 2012: NAACP Image Awards - Won for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for The Game (shared with Mara Brock Akil).
- 2012: NAACP Image Awards - Won for Outstanding Director in a Motion Picture for Jumping the Broom.
- 2018: Black Reel Awards - Won for Outstanding Drama Series for Black Lightning (shared with other producers).
