Dionne Harmon is making big steps in Hollywood as a producer. Next up are the BET Awards on Sunday

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — If Dionne Harmon had never found an old script for New Edition’s biopic, the R&B group’s story would probably still be on the shelf instead of being produced as a top-rated miniseries for BET.

The same goes for other projects like “The Bobby Brown Story” and the Soul Train-inspired series “American Soul.” She may not be a household name, but she’s known in Hollywood for her work on big projects and major events like the Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globes. Harmon has worked on several Super Bowl halftime shows and was the first black woman to produce the show.

She will next appear as a producer at the BET Awards on Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. The show will air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

The Emmy winner is one of the few black women to hold a top position in the entertainment industry. She is president of Jesse Collins Entertainment, one of the most sought-after production companies in television. Harmon reports directly to CEO Jesse Collins, who is her fiancé.

“I’ve worked hard to build my toolbox to be ready for these moments,” says Harmon, a Harvard University graduate who has worked at JCE since 2012.

She started at JCE as an assistant, a position she reluctantly accepted until Collins introduced her to other employees who had gradually risen to higher positions in the company.

Harmon took the job. Collins guaranteed that he would teach her everything he knew about the business and allowed her to accompany him to meetings and phone calls.

“This is where you put down roots and they grow,” she said. “On the surface, it seemed like a step backwards. I had to calm my ego that didn’t want me to take this step. … But it was the best decision I ever made.”

Harmon’s big breakthrough came in 2017 with the project “The New Edition Story”.

After seeing the tremendous success of the TLC biopic “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story” in 2013, she realized there were more opportunities to explore.

Harmon found an old script for the New Edition story written by Abdul Williams that had been lying around for years. She took it to Collins and convinced him to pitch the idea to Stephen Hill, then-head of programming at BET. The series became a huge hit at the network, but she was not credited as a producer.

But Harmon was so successful that she was promoted to head of development – with no staff – which led to more projects. She oversaw the revamped format for “Hip Hop Squares,” which spawned three spin-off shows, including CMT’s “Nashville Squares,” BET’s “Celebrity Squares” and CBS’ “Hollywood Squares” starring Drew Barrymore. She also played a key role in developing and producing the critically acclaimed competition show “Rhythm + Flow” on Netflix, which has since expanded to France, Italy and Brazil.

Erykah Badu said Harmon was instrumental in her return as host and producer of the Soul Train Awards starting in 2015. The singer called Harmon a “straightforward, thoughtful producer.”

“With her enigmatic work ethic, she reminds us that our best work is still within us,” Badu said.

Under her leadership, Harmon helped grow JCE’s staff from 11 to 25 full-time employees and led the company’s efforts to work directly with brands on content production for major events such as Nike, Ford, Pepsi and TikTok.

“She’s very passionate, creative and knows how to navigate a very complicated world called Hollywood,” Collins said. “She really leads with integrity. That’s really helped her grow. Once you build a reputation of trust and you’re creative, all doors open for you.”

Harmon was one of the few Black women to co-produce the Oscars, and after serving as co-executive producer on the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and others, she was promoted to president of JCE, responsible for creative strategy and financial growth.

Life is great for Harmon, both professionally and personally. Collins proposed to her last year. She said their relationship is a “perfect partnership” and they both manage work-life balance well.

Harmon often thinks back to her decision over a decade ago to put aside her ego and join JCE. She joked with her mother that if she were to get married or meet someone new, she would do it at the airport or at work.

“It’s crazy how one decision can affect every aspect of your life,” she said of her interview at JCE. “I couldn’t have imagined that in my wildest dreams. … It never occurred to me that I would end up being engaged. If someone told me that, I would be like, ‘Oh my God, what’s wrong with you?'”

Harmon says Collins is “a great guy” – but in the beginning he was just her boss.

“But as we worked together, as we really became equals, moved forward together and built this company, the door opened to something completely different.”

Harmon wants to build on her and JCE’s success. She wants to create more screenplays and feature films and one day produce the Olympic Games.

Collins expects Harmon to direct.

“For her, anything is possible,” he said. “But ultimately, she’ll probably direct at some point. She has a real eye for that kind of detail.”