*We caught up with Marsai Martin (“Little,” “Fantasy Football”) and the talented cast of her new Disney Channel series “Saturdays,” set to premiere on Friday (March 24).
Martin serves as executive producer on the show along with creator Norman Vance Jr. (“Girlfriends,” “Roll Bounce”). Per the official synopsis: “Saturdays” follows 14-year-old Paris Johnson and her best friends, Simone and Ari, who hone their roller skating skills on the cool parquet floor of Saturdays, a local skating rink in Chicago. Together they form the We-B-Girlz skate crew and are determined to show and prove they have the hottest skate routines on the planet!
The series stars Danielle Jalade (“Yes Day”) as Paris Johnson, Daria Johns (“Nappily Ever After”) as Simone Samson, Golden Brooks (“Girlfriends”) as Deb Johnson, Omar Gooding (“Barbershop”) as Cal Johnson, Jermaine Harris (“The Map of Tiny Perfect Things”) as London Johnson, Peyton Basnight (“Sudden Sisters”) as Ari, and Tim Johnson Jr. (“Ballers”) as Derek “D Rok.”
“When we met with Marsai about this project, we couldn’t have been more impressed with her passion for diverse storytelling and commitment to female empowerment,” Rafael Garcia, vice president, Development, Disney Branded Television, previously said in a statement, Deadline reports.
READ MORE: Disney Drops Trailer for Coming-of-Age Comedy Series ‘Saturdays’ | Watch
Garcia said Disney is “extremely excited” to “tap into roller-skating culture in a way that’s truly both authentic and aspirational for our audience.”
The series was first announced by Disney Channel back in December 2021. At the time, ET spoke with Martin about the show the actress noted that she’s “worked on it for so long and I’m blessed and glad that it’s finally out there, and it’s a green-lit and we’re shooting it actually next week.”
“I’ve always wanted to have a roller skating type of thing. Roller skating is just it! It’s so big in the Black community. It’s a fun activity in general, but just the aesthetic, the vibe of it, I’m like, ‘This needs to be shown more,’” Martin added. “And there’s real talent out there that loves to roller skate and I’m like, ‘We can do this for sure.’ So I’m excited about that.”
“Our main character shines a bright light and loves to live her life and doesn’t care what anybody else thinks,” she added. “We stand for love and positivity. That’s what the show brings and I’m excited for everyone to see it.”
EUR’s Ny MaGee spoke with Martin and Vance about the inspiration behind the series and what they’re most excited about viewers experiencing when this coming-of-age comedy premieres March 24th on Disney Channel. Episodes one through six will be available the next day on Disney+.
Check out my exclusive conversation with the pair below.
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