Duchess Meghan Markle Is Getting Into Animation With Family Series 'Pearl'
Duchess Meghan Markle and Prince Harry'sproduction company Archewell Productions is taking on a new Netflix animated project called Pearl (working title). Markle serves as the creator and executive producer while the series itself is centered around inspiring women.
The name Archewell Productions was created by combining the Greek word "arche" (meaning source of action) and "well" (a plentiful source or supply; a place to go deep). With the production company's name in mind, it's fitting that the Duchess and Duke would create a series about inspiring women as they strive to "utilize the power of storytelling to embrace our shared humanity and duty to truth through a compassionate lens."
Director of original animation at Netflix Megan Casey stated that "Pearl is an exciting tale that weaves together fantasy and history." The series "focuses on a young girl who learns to step into her own power when she embarks on a heroic adventure and meets important women from history along the way."
The Duchess of Sussex made the following statement about the production company's first animated project:
"Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life's daily challenges. I'm thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix, and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today."
Serving as executive producers alongside Markle are David Furnish (Gnomeo & Juliet), Carolyn Soper (Tangled), Liz Garbus (I'll Be Gone in the Dark), and Dan Cogan (Icarus). DC Super Hero Girls' Amanda Rynda will be on board as showrunner and executive producer also.
Soper stated, "Animation is the perfect medium to bring this fun, heartfelt, and inspiring story to life. Pearl is a character in which everyone will recognize a piece of themselves while absolutely rooting for her as she discovers so much about the world, both past and present, and how she fits into it." Animation can also be viewed as a more engaging medium for young kids.
History and Heroines
More and more, women are creating art to inspire other females and young girls. Girl power has expanded to books, film, politics, science, and sports. Several women in power started with inspiring young girls through children's books such as Chelsea Clinton's She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World and Superheroes are Everywhere by Kamala Harris. Markle herself wrote a children's book entitled The Bench.
In a time where women are still being held back in various aspects of life, it's really promising and inspiring to see more women produce stories focusing on women. Younger generations have more books, TV shows, and movies with female characters to look up to and identify with now more than ever before. Seeing this trend in media is inspiring in and of itself so it is exciting to fathom all the great work little girls will do in decades to come as a result.
The release date for Pearl has not been announced yet.