Raamla Mohamed has been a TV lover since the days of T.G.I.F.
From there, she worked on the writing team forScandaland eventually became a supervising producer.
Next was writing for the seriesLittle Fires Everywhere, which earned her an Emmy nomination.
Raamla Mohamed; ‘Reasonable Doubt’.Calvin Leonard; Hulu
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:What sparked your interest in working in the entertainment industry?
RAAMLA MOHAMED: I went to Columbia and I majored in English and film studies.
And then I started working in theater in New York after I graduated.
I saw all these plays and I was like maybe I could write.
But I didn’t really understand that it was a career.
I didn’t really know what it was about.
And, dating myself, there weren’t, like, blogs.
And even someone like me, I started subscribing toEntertainment Weeklywhen I was 13.
So then I applied to USC film school for writing.
I did that program for a couple of years.
I started then as a PA atGrey’s Anatomy, which was my favorite show at the time.
It was season six.
And they had just promoted their PA’s to writers assistants.
That’s kind of what started my career, it was really amazing.
What was it like working onGrey’s Anatomy?
I’ll never forget onGrey’s Anatomy,we got to go to the table reads.
SeeingEllen Pompeodo the voiceover.
And then, whenPatrick Dempseyread his lines I was like a kid in a candy store.
I was like, here they are in real life, just doing it.
I got to sit in the writers' room a couple times.
Do you still watchGrey’s?
I actually don’t.
I do take a stab at watch episodes when I can.
I still am devastated by when they killed McDreamy.
Did you see yourself making a show likeReasonable Doubtwhen you first started out in the industry?
It wasn’t glamorized for me.
Sometimes people are like, “I want my own show, and it’ll be awesome.”
I was like, “I’m good!
I think I’ll just be a writer, that job’s hard enough.”
It took me time to really understand how to pitch in the writers' room.
That was probably the weakest part of my skills.
And it felt really fast, all of the writers onScandalwere very smart and very talented.
And I started developing and getting ideas.
Why do you feel this story about Jax Stewart inReasonable Doubtis important to tell right now?
We either are extreme villains or heroes.
This woman Jax, she’s perfect at her job, but her love life is crazy.
I haven’t really seen like a Black drama that gets to that complexity on television.
You know, obviously there’s comedies.
I think Courtney Kemp has done a great job of creating like Black characters with a lot of depth.
Which past projects of your own or others projects that you’ve loved inspired this project?
I’d say every show that I’ve worked on was such a learning experience for me.
Working for Shonda Rhimes and just learning.
So I learned a lot of those skills on top of what I learned from going to USC.
Are there any TV shows that you watched growing up that inspired your work today?
I was a hugeBeverly Hills 90210fan.
I’ve seen every episode all the way to the end.
And alsoFelicity, I lovedFelicity.
It was fun whenScott Foleycame toScandalbecause I was a huge fan.
Even though I’m a drama writer, I loved watching comedy.
I was an only child so it was me and the TV, we became real good friends.
And music is important to me on the show as well.
I scripted in the songs in that I wanted to be played.
Are there any actresses or female showrunners that inspired you, then and now?
Debbie Allen, when she was doingA Different World.
I was like, “Wow, she just seems so cool.”
Obviously she’s an amazing dancer, but also a director and creative person.
She just is so talented.
And of course, Shonda.
They make it look so easy and I know it’s not easy.
Is there anyone in particular you’d like to work with in the future?
Beyonce is a Virgo and I’m a Virgo.
And theObamas, they’ve gotten into entertainment.
That would just be a dream.
I really do feel like it is.
I think there are more shows, more opportunities and more spaces for us that we’re creating ourselves.
Sometimes it takes people a year, sometimes it takes people 10 years.
It takes a lot of perseverance, hard work and ignoring the haters.
