BAYOU PROFILE: NADIA ELAHI

Blake Snyder, heavily recommended in the industry at the time. Two years later, Vanessa surprised Nadia having written the dialogue for Episode 1. The ladies took multiple passes at the script, realizing their sense of humor varied. Nadia joined Vanessa’s writing group and received valuable feedback, and edited the script which was finalized in 2022.

In 2022, Vanessa and French Stewart moved to Atlanta, a life change spurred by the pandemic. The couple realized with French shooting scenes primarily in Vancouver and Atlanta and Vanessa holding meetings online, they could raise their daughter Helene in a new city with more space and a slower pace. Vanessa took a job with Story Mill Entertainment, initially as the Vice President of Development, though now as Chief Creative Officer where she helps craft a slate of projects for the company. Story Mill Entertainment produces TV and film projects, a small studio with two soundstages. Vanessa pitched turning Pakistani Southern Belle into a TV show to the studio, introduced Nadia to the executives, and they agreed to film the pilot episode and shop it around to streaming platforms. Nadia is the kind of fresh voice and unique perspective Story Mill Entertainment has been looking for, the company motto being: Stories that matter by people who matter. While Vanessa is new to television entertainment, she is not jaded with the industry and is anxious to try new things. Vanessa notes that migrating from plays to TV is a natural transition, as she searches for the right people to shepherd collaborations. Some of Vanessa’s favorite TV writers started with playwriting as it offers a unique perspective for the high-quality television we viewers have come to know and expect.

While the TV show is inspired by the blog, and the blog is inspired by Nadia’s life, some critical differences became necessary for the adaptation. Familial characteristics vary from her real life, and classroom interactions are embellished to nourish plot points. The show follows Nadia in her 30s as opposed to the 46-year-old writer of the blog. As Nadia and Vanessa took passes at that first script, Nadia kept veering back toward reality, namely the right now, and Vanessa tugged the work in another direction. Vanessa kept telling Nadia, “You can’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.” The past will be depicted through flashbacks, showcasing Nadia’s life in Monroe, her other life in LA, and her experiences in higher education. Vanessa and Nadia are still fleshing out the next 8-10 episodes. After decades of writing, Nadia is uniquely proud of this work. Story Mill Entertainment will shoot the pilot in 2024 and then shop it to streaming services. Nadia’s nervousness is laced with excitement and bits of lingering insecurity. Admittedly, she wonders if anyone will care. But with time and experience comes the confidence and willingness to put herself out there again. With Vanessa Stewart by her side, she feels ready to step into this new medium and into the spotlight she identified so many years ago.