Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: How the Story Magic Happens

Lunella Lafayette and her 10-ton T-Rex are “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur”! Based on Marvel’s hit comic books, the new series follows the adventures of a teenage female black superhero and a diverse group of characters.  Join the writers and producers of this new series to discuss the importance of a female POC superhero for a young audience. Event will be live in our CMA screening room.

Halima Lucas, Co-Executive Producer and Story Editor

From the city of Stockton, California comes LA-based filmmaker and TV writer, Halima Lucas. She is second oldest in the lineup of nine brothers and sisters and that combo platter of unique personalities deeply inspires her storytelling. Currently a Story Editor/Producer on Marvel’s MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR, Halima started her career as a finalist for the 43rd Student Academy Awards and won the 2017 ABFF HBO Short Film Award. Following the success of her film, Lucas was selected for Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative Television Director Shadowing program, the Break the Room fellowship, where she helped develop and write the Powderkeg produced web series ”East of La Brea,” and the Nickelodeon Writing Program In 2019.

In addition to her work on “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” Lucas continues to develop projects and make films, including her most recent short “Plan LMNOP,” made through Ghetto Film School, Endeavor and Deutsche Bank’s Art Frieze LA fellowship.

A heart driven filmmaker whose works premiered at top festivals, she creates comedic and dramatic stories for all ages, and always seeks powerful messages that inspire and empower.

Liz Hara, Staff Writer

Emmy Award winner Liz Hara is a staff writer on Disney Branded Television’s “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” based on Marvel’s hit comic books.

Hara earned an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Writing in a Children’s, Pre-School Children’s or Family Viewing Program category for her work on “Sesame Street.” Her additional writings credits include “Helpsters,” “Donkey Hodie” and “Life in Pieces,” among others. Recently, Hara wrote ”See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special,” which introduced Ji-Young, the first Asian American muppet.

A puppet and costume builder, Hara received an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Costume Design/Styling category for her work on “Sesame Street.” As a puppeteer, she worked as Background Butterfly #3 on “Sesame Street.”

She has worked on several theatrical and film productions including “Avenue Q,” “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” and “The Lion King.”

Born and raised in Maple Grove, Minnesota, Hara currently resides in Los Angeles. She graduated from Vassar College and is now pursuing graduate work in Anti-Racism in Urban Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Kate Kondell, Co-Executive Producer and Story Editor

Emmy Award winner and Humanitas Prize recipient Kate Kondell is Co-Expecutive producer and story editor of Disney Branded Television’s “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” based on Marvel’s hit comic books.

Kondell’s credits include “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde;” “First Daughter;” “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast;” Disney Junior’s “Elena of Avalor,” for which she received an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program category and a Humanitas Prize in the Children’s Animation category; and “Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe,” for which she received an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program category.

After growing up in Florida, Kondell attended Stanford University and then received a Master of Fine Arts in film at Columbia University. Kondell currently resides in Pasadena with her family.

PILAR FLYNN, Co-Executive Producer

Pilar Flynn currently serves as a Co-Executive Producer on the upcoming Marvel’s “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” an original animated series based on Marvel’s hit comic books, from Disney Television Animation. She is a twice Emmy Award-nominated Producer for her work on Disney’s “Elena of Avalor,” which follows Disney’s first princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures and folklore. 

An adventurer herself, Flynn is a native of Chile and Ecuador and spent much of her childhood in countries throughout South America and Europe. 

She began her animation career at DreamWorks Features where she co-produced the award-winning short, “First Flight,” and worked on the production of films such as “The Road to El Dorado,” “Sinbad,” “Spirit,” “Madagascar” and “Flushed Away.” Flynn then went on to serve as Line Producer of the animated feature films “Mean Margaret” and “Astroboy.” She was also Co-Producer on the groundbreaking R-rated animated feature “Sausage Party” starring Seth Rogen.  

Flynn currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Latino Film Institute, a nonprofit organization founded by actor Edward James Olmos. She is also an appointee on the Television Academy’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.