Marsai Martin was born Caila Marsai Martin, in Texas on August 14, 2004. A couple of years later, her parents Joshua and Carol began noticing their daughter imitating her favourite movie and TV characters, even before she could speak properly! This led them to believe that she would be a natural in front of the camera. Thus began their journey to helping Marsai achieve her full potential.
Even before she turned 5, her father got in touch with a photographer to take her photographs, and then proceeded to send them to agencies. She was offered a contract by the Kim Dawson Agency in Dallas, Texas, and soon bagged her first national television commercial, appearing in an ad for Choice Hotel titled ‘Voice of the People’. Thereafter, she appeared in several television ads. While in Texas, she also attended the Cathryn Sullivan’s Acting for Film school.
‘Black-ish’ made Marsai Martin a household name. She received numerous award nominations for her role, and has won three NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance by a Youth; and a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series – Supporting Young Actress.
In 2013, when she was nine years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, in the hopes that she would have a shot at pursuing an acting career. Right from the get-go in LA, Marsai immersed herself into her craft, attending several auditions and reading lines. Within a 100 days of arriving in LA, she secured a major national commercial campaign with Meineke. Soon after she was cast in her breakout role of the super sassy and smart Diane Johnson on ABC’s hit comedy sitcom ‘Black-ish’.
In 2016, Marsai made her film debut, playing the lead role of Melody Ellison in ‘An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has To Win’. The story was set in the time of the Civil Rights Movement in Detroit, and the role won her a nomination for a Kidscreen Award for Best Acting. She also appeared in ‘Fun Mom Dinner’ and ‘Lemonade Mafia’.
In 2019, Marsai Martin made history, becoming the youngest Hollywood Executive Producer of all time, when she executive produced and starred in her film ‘Little’, a comedy in which she is seen alongside Regina Hall and Issa Rae. The face of and co-founder of Genius Productions, she recently announced that she will be producing and starring in the film adaptation of the book ‘Amari and the Night Brothers’ by B.B. Alston.
Marsai’s career has been a steady, upward climb. Breaking stereotypes and barriers, she has risen to succeed at a very young age, and we can’t wait for the wonders she has in store for the world. More power to her!