Salim Akil Biography

Fast Facts

• When his CW series "The Game" was canceled, a letter-writing campaign from fans helped the show land at BET as part of a multi-year deal
• He worked in a mortuary for five years and a clinic for psychiatric outpatients for another five years before starting his career as a writer and director
• Quote: "(On musicians as actors): "They're artists and they understand emotion, and they convey emotion in a really special way․""
• Quote: "(On complaints about Hollywood's lack of diversity) "You change the landscape in Hollywood with action, not words․ My wife and I just want to change that conversation with our work․""
• Quote: "(On working with his spouse, screenwriter Mara Brock Akil) "I think the pros are that you always have someone who has your back, that you can trust, and who's going to give you an honest opinion․""
• Quote: "(On working with Whitney Houston in "Sparkle") "Whitney would tell me point blank, I lived this and that's not the way it happens․ She always was very honest and very real about what that life [drug abuse] was about․""
• His 2012 remake of the musical film "Sparkle" was "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks' film debut, and it became singer-actress Whitney Houston's last feature film appearance