What happens when you choose the "safe" path and it nearly kills your soul? Debra Martin Chase went from Harvard Law School to becoming the first Black woman producer with a major studio deal. In this episode of The Messy Parts, she shares her journey from corporate lawyer to Hollywood trailblazer, including the near-death experience that made her quit law, the weekend of initiative that launched her film career, and why Vernon Jordan told her she was "too old to start over." It's a masterclass in reinvention, taking risks, and betting on yourself.
Guest: Debra Martin Chase - Producer, Entertainment Executive, Broadway Producer
Follow Debra on:
- Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdhyj35x
- LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/36zh39tz
- IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0153846/
Notable Productions: The Princess Diaries, Cinderella, Cheetah Girls, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Equalizer, A Strange Loop (Broadway), The Outsiders (Broadway), Purpose (Broadway)
Topics Covered
- Harvard Law School
- USC Film School
- Vernon Jordan
- Nina Shaw
- Frank Price (Columbia Pictures)
- Doug McHenry (producer)
- Nina Jacobson (Disney executive)
- Pearlena Igbokwe (Universal Television)
- Denzel Washington
- Whitney Houston
- Marc Platt (Broadway producer)
- David Stone (Broadway producer)
- Michael Dukakis campaign
- Princess Diaries
- Cinderella (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
- Cheetah Girls
- Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
- The Equalizer
Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com
To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for listening.