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Vogue
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Beyond Blume: Mara Brock Akil Shares 9 More Books That Informed Her Netflix Hit ‘Forever'
With hits like Girlfriends, The Game, and Being Mary Jane under her belt, Mara Brock Akil is a bonafide legend—and her latest project, Netflix's swoonworthy Forever, is the newest TV show I can't stop thinking about. Forever is an adaptation of the 1975 novel of the same name by Judy Blume, one that has been banned time and time again for its depiction of a young woman coming into her sexuality. Growing up, Akil read all of Blume's books, but she was especially drawn to Forever for its honesty. 'It allowed so many of us to think about what could be ahead in relationships,' the producer and screenwriter tells me over Zoom, 'while also remembering to protect our futures.' When I nervously admit that I've never read Blume myself, she isn't surprised: It was a different time. When I'd reached high school, my coming-of-age novels took the form of Twilight, the Harry Potter books, and…hear me out…The Da Vinci Code. Yet Akil's Forever drops Blume's story squarely into the here and now, recasting its young lovers as Black teens in Los Angeles. Keisha Clarke (Lovie Simone) is a driven scholarship student who finds herself embroiled in an online scandal just after the series begins, while Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper Jr.) is an unassuming Black boy from a wealthy family and a predominately white high school. He's kind, handsome, awkward, a little lost—and when the two of them get together, what unfolds is a moving story of the push-and-pull between childhood and a burgeoning independence. 'What I translated was the emotion of that book, and by changing the details, it created a different type of plot,' Akil tells me. But what her show does maintain from the book serves as a reminder that, in 1975 as now, we all still want many of the same things: to find love, to feel free—but also to feel safe. I came away from the first season of Forever feeling unbelievably hopeful, a fleeting feeling these days. And while a second season of Forever was just greenlit (hooray!), I wanted something to hold me over. So, I asked Akil which books beyond Blume's source material had helped to inspire her vision for Forever. Find her nine picks below. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson Red at the Bone $16 BOOKSHOP 'This novel was a revelation to me. Woodson captures the emotional weight of generational legacy in a way that mirrors how I think about storytelling—through love, inheritance, and identity. It reminded me of the questions I asked when building characters in Forever: What history are they carrying? And how does that shape their choices?' Coleman Hill by Kim Coleman Foote 'Foote's multigenerational debut felt deeply personal to me, as someone who values lineage and community. I was drawn to how this story tracks migration, memory, and survival. As a creator, I'm always interested in the ripple effects of history—and this novel puts those echoes front and center.' Sula by Toni Morrison 'Morrison was my earliest blueprint for complexity and contradiction. Sula helped me understand that female friendship could be as mythic and meaningful as romantic love—and that Black women's inner lives were worthy of epic storytelling. It's a compass I still use.' The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao $17 BOOKSHOP 'Díaz's bold voice and fearless structure taught me that genre, language, and cultural specificity could coexist beautifully. Oscar's longing and imagination resonated with how I wanted to portray teen desire and vulnerability in Forever—as something both deeply personal and historically entangled.' My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero My Train Leaves at Three $27 BOOKSHOP 'This quiet, beautiful book came to me recently, at a time when I was experimenting with my voice in new mediums. Guerrero's story of transformation through solitude and movement reminded me that healing and change are not always loud. I see this reflected in characters who grow in silence, in the spaces in-between. It officially comes out in July and is my number-one recommendation for young readers to pick up this summer!' White Teeth by Zadie Smith 'Smith's debut reminded me that humor, intellect, and social commentary can live in the same sentence. Her fearless take on identity, hybridity, and family showed me that the personal is always political—and that sometimes, it's also very funny.' Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Their Eyes Were Watching God $17 BOOKSHOP 'This was one of the first books that made me feel seen. Janie's voice, her hunger for life, and her unwillingness to settle lit a fire in me as a young woman. Hurston's storytelling taught me that the journey to selfhood is sacred.' We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie We Should All Be Feminists $10 BOOKSHOP 'This manifesto distills so much of what I believe about equity and empowerment. I often recommend it to young women finding their voice because it gives language to things we've long felt but didn't always know how to name. It's brief but expansive—like the best conversations.' Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (and its documentary adaptation) Stamped from the Beginning $31 BOOKSHOP 'As a storyteller and producer, I believe in truth-telling. Kendi's work inspired a documentary adaptation I produced with director Roger Ross Williams—it offers a clear-eyed view of systemic racism in a way that empowers young people to think critically. It's history, but it's also a call to action. That duality is powerful.'
South China Morning Post
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr, stars of Netflix's Forever, on first love
The story of how Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr, the stars of Forever on Netflix, first met is like a perfectly scripted meet-cute that was fated to fuel a tender portrait of young love. Cooper was on a flight bound for Los Angeles in the US state of California from Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia, for an audition, stressed because his car had been stolen three hours earlier. But he heeded his agent's advice to worry about it later. 'He's like, 'Just go! If you book this, you can buy another car',' Cooper recalls. Simone was his seatmate, en route to audition for the same television series. Not that they had any clue then – they did not speak to each other on the flight. And they did not encounter each other in that first round. It was not until they both got a callback for the chemistry read that it clicked. Now they are poised to become the next teen obsession as the latest couple to go from book to screen in the newly released Forever, Mara Brock Akil's adaptation of Judy Blume's 1975 coming-of-age novel Both are relative newcomers – Simone, 26, has several television credits to her name, including Greenleaf and Manhunt, while Cooper, 23, has a handful of shorts and film credits. They were cast last year to play the leads, Keisha Clark and Justin Edwards.
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Best New Netflix Show Nabs A Perfect 100% Critic Score
Forever Netflix It's a pretty good week for Netflix TV, as the service has not one but two 100% scored shows this week. I've already written about one, so I figured that I would focus on the other, a brand new series that isn't returning for a new season, but something original. Well, original but still based on a book. That show is Forever, actually written as FOREVER in all caps, a romantic drama that spans eight 45-50 minute episodes and stars Michael Cooper Jr., Lovie Simone and Xosha Roquemore. It's based on of all things, a Judy Blume novel from 1975, not some sort of modern, YA-type story. Here's the synopsis: Yes, this is an MA-rated show featuring sex and nudity based on children's author Judy Blume's book from 1975. But this was not a kids book, a breakout concept for Blume, and it was so controversial at the time given its focus on teenage sexuality that it ended up being banned in many places and was censored in others. The 1975 version did not feature leading black characters like the 'Gen Z' version does, which may not be a surprise. Forever Rotten Tomatoes The show currently has a perfect 100% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, albeit no audience score in yet. On IMDB, however, it has a great 7.7/10 from fans. The series has debuted at #2 on Netflix's Top 10 list, which is very solid for a brand new series. If it can keep this viewership up, a second season of a relatively cheap, well-received show like this should be in the cards. This is not listed as a miniseries so it stands to reason they are shooting for more. Though I don't know if this season is adapting the entire Blume book, and if they'd have to write original material after this. I'm sure a lot has been changed anyway given the 50 year gap between this show and the book. There are not all that many romantic dramas that score this high on Netflix, but this one has really landed. I do not recognize any members of this cast, and browsing through their history, a big Netflix show like this is certainly the most high-profile thing any of them has done. And it's gone very, very well. Check it out for yourself, as it's live now on the site. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
CTV News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Judy Blume's ‘Forever' gets modern retelling in Netflix original
Judy Blume's 'Forever' gets modern retelling in Netflix original Michael Cooper Jr. tells CP24 Breakfast about his starring role in the film.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans delighted as '10/10' TV adaptation of beloved 1975 romance novel is finally released
Netflix fans have been left 'smiling and giggling' after a hotly-anticipated TV adaptation of a beloved 1975 romance novel was finally released. Forever, an eight-part programme based on iconic author Judy Blume's book of the same name, hit the platform on Friday - with fans dubbing it '10/10'. The 50-year-old romance, from the same writer behind timeless coming-of-age tales like Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, is a highly relatable story of first love. In the TV adaptation, set in Los Angeles in 2018, two young athletes Keisha and Justin (Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr) experience romance for the first time together after meeting at a New Year's Eve party. After one previous TV adaptation in 1978, this latest streaming version - created by American producer Mara Brock Akil, the mind behind beloved noughties show Girlfriends - has explicitly received Judy's blessing. And fans have been completely charmed by the sweet love story it portrays, taking to X to gush at the adorable romance. Forever, an eight-part programme based on iconic author Judy Blume's book of the same name hit the platform on Friday - with fans dubbing it '10/10' Viewers penned: 'I'm smiling and giggling already. Justin and Keisha have natural chemistry'; 'Justin and Keisha are everything already' 'This show really a 10/10'; 'Oh my God, I'm literally giggling and kicking my feet'; 'Keisha and Justin have my heart already.' 'I'm on episode two and already loving it! Definitely finishing it today.' ; 'Not me already being on episode six.' 'Guys, I'm pacing myself. I just watched the first two episodes of Forever on Netflix and I have "aww-ed" and insane amount of times.' Commenters were delighted to see the diverse casting too. They shared: 'Whether you're a fan of young adult television or not, I really need everyone to tap into this because it is so rare for us to get authentic black romance stories these days, especially for black teenagers; 'This is it. This is what we need - a black teen romcom'; 'I just realised that is the first time I've seen a young black romance story like this. We really need more of these.' Someone else chimed in: 'As a black man, I feel we need this! Hollywood has always had stories with white teens or young white adults showing love.' Fans have been completely charmed by the sweet love story it portrays, taking to X (pictured) to gush at the adorable romance Others (pictured) were quick to note the show's binge-worthy story, having flown through several episodes despite it only being released today Commenters (pictured) were delighted to see African-American actors in the lead roles too Producer and showrunner Mara told Netflix news website Tudum Judy inspired her own writing style: 'She was one of the first writers I read that dared to be honest about the human condition in young people... 'I'm honoured to reimagine one of my favourite books, Forever...' And Judy herself is delighted it is Mara at the helm: 'I'm thrilled that Mara has chosen to tell this story through her own lens. 'It is gratifying to know that, 50 years after its release, the love story at the core of Forever... is still resonating with audiences.' The classic tale got many young women through their adolescence in the eighties and nineties - who then passed it on to their daughters. But the novel has long been the subject of controversy, frequently censored for its frank portrayal of teen sexual experience. Mara first brought up adapting Forever... in 2020 - but had to convince the author: 'Judy wasn't sure that it could translate in this modern era, given how exposed young people are to sexuality and the topic of love.' But once the pair talked more, they 'resonated', Mara said, as the timelessness of the story became clear. She explained: 'All the questions we have to sort through - the first time you have sex, your first kiss, the first time you say "I love you" - it resonated then and it resonates now.' The original novel tells the story of Kath and Michael, two New Jersey high schoolers on the brink of graduation who have their first experience of sex together - but it ends up being more satisfactory for him than her, the story's narrator. But instead of seventies New Jersey, this small-screen adaptation takes us to sunny Los Angeles in 2018. It is where so many young people pilgrimage to in search of their dreams, Mara explained, so it only further reinforces the story's themes - of thinking big, in life and love. And while the entire cast of the original novel is white, the leads here are played by black actors, with Mara known for centering African-American stories throughout her television career. She told the Telegraph she created her beloved sitcom Girlfriends in 2000 as a reaction to Sex And The City: 'On that show, black people had no seat at the table.' One challenge Mara faced in adapting the story was how to portray the changed context of sex and relationships now - one component of which is the greater discourse around assault and consent. She explained: 'In the book, Kath is the most vulnerable, as a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world. 'But I'd argue that today it's young black men who are vulnerable.' With two teenage sons herself, with her husband Salim Akil, also a producer and director, she continued: 'I find it heartbreaking that before you can talk to them about the birds and the bees, you have to introduce the idea of rape. 'You have to help them navigate all these complexities around language and behaviour and that's before they've even figured out if the girl likes them. 'So, once I'd realised that was how we could tell the story, we were off to the races.'
