About Debra

Debra graduated from Harvard as a lawyer and practiced law before eventually moving into the movie business to pursue her passion for film and television and fulfill her dream to entertain.

She says:

“Movie and television need to entertain but if along the way you can be given messages or values can be reinforced, or your eyes can be opened to something you might not have thought about in that way, that, to me, makes great entertainment.”

Debra was the first African-American female producer to have a deal at a major studio. Her company, Debra Martin Chase Productions, was affiliated with The Walt Disney Company for more than 15 years and is now affiliated with Universal Television. Her movies have grossed $300 million combined. An eye for talent, Debra launched the careers of A-listers like Anne Hathaway and Blake Lively.

“Throughout my Hollywood career, one of the important things has been to break down stereotypes, to change images, to change the dialogue and the narrative, and to inspire people as I have been inspired as a kid to know that they can do whatever they wanna do.”

If you want to learn from Debra how to enter an industry that you’re not a part of, how to process big transitions in your life, or how listening to your little voice in your head can lead to work with movie stars like Denzel Washington or Whitney Houston, then this episode is for you.