‘Black-ish’s’ Marsai Martin Will Play Melody Ellison in Live-Action American Girl Special.

Marsai Martin American Girl

Back in February, the American Girl doll company announced a new Civil Rights Era doll, Melody Ellison.

The doll recently hit shelves, and American girl has been ramping up promotions with a series of programs and a newly announced live-action film, set to air on Amazon. American Girl has also partnered with Amazon to offer exclusive product collections.

Black-ish star Marsai Martin will play Melody Ellison in the special, titled Melody, 1963: Love Has to Win, an American Girl Story, which will premiere on Amazon Prime Video this fall. The project is executive produced by Common and also stars Frances Fisher as Miss Abbot, Frankie Faison as Melody’s grandfather Frank Ellison, and Idara Victor as Melody’s mother Frances Ellison.

Melody is a nine-year-old growing up in Detroit during the Civil Rights era. She loves to sing and uses her voice to make a difference. She often struggles to make sense of the racial inequality she sees around her, in the wake of major events such as the 1963 Birmingham Church Bombing. She receives guidance and understanding from her mother.

Melody’s story was crafted with special attention to historical accuracy and detail. American Girl employed a board of advisors that included Juanita Moore, President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit and founding executive director of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and JoAnn Watson, a Detroit native and former executive director of the Detroit NAACP.