Abbi Jacobson is proving once again that she is a champion for the underdogs.
The Broad City and A League of Their Own creator just announced the class of her prestigious Prelude fellowship, and social media is already celebrating the “Jacobson Effect.” Through her production company, Tender Pictures, Jacobson and partner Mieka Tennant are hand-picking the next generation of Hollywood powerhouses.
The program, which launched last year, is quickly becoming a viral beacon of hope for “early career storytellers.” Specifically, it targets writers, directors, and producers with little to no industry experience, focusing on talent discovery and equity for those who haven’t had a seat at the table yet.
This year’s roster is a powerhouse lineup of female-identifying and non-binary talent. The ten fellows making waves include Nadira Amaris, Kimberly Divad, Alyssa Furtado, Izzy Garfinkel, T Green, Vanessa Gutierrez, Noura Jabir, Sarah Ngô, Sage Okolo, and Haley Wang.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram are praising the move, with many pointing out how rare it is for established stars to reach back and pull others up quite so intentionally.
The eight-month fellowship isn’t just a title; it’s a total immersion into the biz. The cohort will receive in-person programming and mentorship, exploring both the “spark” of the creative process and the nitty-gritty of the film and TV business.
And the mentors? It’s basically a Hollywood dream team. The group will be guided by heavy hitters like Hacks director Jess Brunetto, The Sex Lives of College Girls writer Ali Liebegott, and BoJack Horseman alum Mehar Sethi.
They’ll also be joined by Broad City veteran Jessica Watson, Sundance’s Kim Yutani, and A League of Their Own writers Michelle Badillo and Desta Tedros Reff.
Jacobson is famously using her own star-studded Rolodex to give these newcomers a leg up. Last year’s class got face time with icons like Amy Poehler, Natasha Rothwell, and Hacks co-creator Jen Statsky, as well as executives from A and Amazon.
“When we first set out to build Prelude, we identified a gap for early-career storytellers,” Jacobson said in a moving statement. “After a successful first year, we’re proud to be expanding our networks and continuing to build pathways for people from LGBTQIA+ and diverse communities.”
The actress and producer isn’t shy about the reality of the industry right now, either. She acknowledged that while the business is facing “significant challenges,” the goal of Prelude is to make sure those pressures don’t “push important voices to the margins.”
“We’re giving people the space, tools, and backing they need to pursue their careers,” she added. “And, just as importantly, the belief that they belong in these rooms.”
In a world of reboots and sequels, Jacobson’s mission to find fresh, original voices is the breath of fresh air fans have been waiting for. We can’t wait to see what this new class creates!
