A former Super Bowl Champion from Houston has found a new way to inspire young minds - through an animated Disney Jr. series called "Hey A.J.!". The show, which premiered on January 13, is based on a children's book series by retired NFL player Martellus Bennett and his daughter Austyn Jett.
The series follows the adventures of an imaginative girl named A.J., who uses her big imagination to turn ordinary life moments into extraordinary experiences. With the help of her trusty stuffed bunny sidekick Theo, A.J. navigates the world around her with creativity and enthusiasm.
Bennett's decision to create a show based on his daughter's stories was inspired by their close relationship and his desire to introduce more characters of color into children's media. "I just want to show the power of imagination as often as possible," he said in an interview.
The show stars Amari McCoy as A.J., with Bennett voicing A.J.'s dad, Marty. Bennett says that he works closely with Austyn Jett to ensure that her stories are accurately represented on screen. "I don't write a story without my daughter's input," he explained.
The series aims to inspire kids and parents alike to use their imaginations together. For Austyn Jett, the show is especially meaningful - she says that it helps her see herself in the character of A.J., who is also very imaginative. "I think I'm like A.J. in the Disney show," she said. "Not only the way they made me look, but the way they also made me act."
The show's message of family and community participation in imagination resonates with Bennett, who hopes that it will encourage viewers to come together and dream as a team. "I think the biggest thing is about the entire family participating in each other's imaginations," he said.
As the first seven episodes of "Hey A.J!" became available on Disney+, fans were treated to an imaginative world filled with creativity, humor, and heart. With its inspiring message and lovable characters, this show is sure to delight kids and parents alike.
The series follows the adventures of an imaginative girl named A.J., who uses her big imagination to turn ordinary life moments into extraordinary experiences. With the help of her trusty stuffed bunny sidekick Theo, A.J. navigates the world around her with creativity and enthusiasm.
Bennett's decision to create a show based on his daughter's stories was inspired by their close relationship and his desire to introduce more characters of color into children's media. "I just want to show the power of imagination as often as possible," he said in an interview.
The show stars Amari McCoy as A.J., with Bennett voicing A.J.'s dad, Marty. Bennett says that he works closely with Austyn Jett to ensure that her stories are accurately represented on screen. "I don't write a story without my daughter's input," he explained.
The series aims to inspire kids and parents alike to use their imaginations together. For Austyn Jett, the show is especially meaningful - she says that it helps her see herself in the character of A.J., who is also very imaginative. "I think I'm like A.J. in the Disney show," she said. "Not only the way they made me look, but the way they also made me act."
The show's message of family and community participation in imagination resonates with Bennett, who hopes that it will encourage viewers to come together and dream as a team. "I think the biggest thing is about the entire family participating in each other's imaginations," he said.
As the first seven episodes of "Hey A.J!" became available on Disney+, fans were treated to an imaginative world filled with creativity, humor, and heart. With its inspiring message and lovable characters, this show is sure to delight kids and parents alike.
It's so cool that Martellus Bennett created it based on his daughter Austyn Jett's stories. I think it's awesome how the show promotes using your imagination and creativity, especially in a world where kids are constantly surrounded by screens 
. The animation is so colorful and fun, and the characters are all super lovable! Amari McCoy does an amazing job as A.J., and Martellus Bennett voicing her dad Marty is just perfect 
. I'm excited to see more episodes and hope it encourages kids to be creative together with their families 
. Amari McCoy does an amazing job voicing A.J., and I love how Marty (Bennett) interacts with his daughter in the show, it's so sweet 
. what I think is really cool about this series is that it encourages kids to use their imaginations together, just like Austyn said, it makes me wanna watch it with my own kiddo ASAP! 
I think what's really cool about this new series is that it's not just about a kid using her imagination to have fun, but also about how she uses it to bring people together as a family. It's all about collaboration and seeing things from each other's perspectives. That's a valuable lesson for us grown-ups too! 
Think about it, when was the last time you had a family movie night or game night where everyone just let loose and used their imagination? I bet we could learn a thing or two from A.J.'s example...
their animated series "Hey A.J!" is literally the most inspiring thing i've seen in a looong time 
it's about time! & Austyn Jett's storyline is so relatable 
Bennett's vision 4 the show is all about imagination & family participation 
Bennett's passion 4 the project is infectious 
can't wait 2 see more episodes & be inspired by A.J.'s awesomeness 
The animation looks super cute too, and Amari McCoy does a great job as A.J. Can't wait to see more episodes and watch Austyn Jett shine on screen 
I gotta ask, how did we go from Martellus Bennett being a former Super Bowl champ to making an animated Disney Jr series for kids? Was he always passionate about creating kids content or is this just a way to leverage his fame? 
Also, I'm curious about the daughter's input on the show, I'd love to see more on that. Is it really her writing the stories and her voice in the show? 
and I love how Austyn Jett gets to see herself in her little sis's character - it's like the ultimate sister power move 
I gotta say, a former Super Bowl champ turnin' into a children's TV star? That's pretty cool. But what's even cooler is the fact that he's using his platform to introduce more diversity in kids' media 
I love this! Its so cool that Martellus Bennett created a show based on his daughter's stories. It's like, she was the real inspiration behind it all 
!
What's next? A football field full of cartoon characters? But seriously, a retired NFL player creating an animated series for kids based on his daughter's stories? It's not like he's gonna make some cash off the merch, is it? 
. The fact remains, Disney Jr. just scored a touchdown with this one! 
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. And who wouldn't want to watch an animated show about using your imagination and creativity? 
. I'm definitely gonna show this to more kids at my nephews' birthday party this weekend 
. Can't wait to watch more episodes with my little one and see A.J's adventures come to life