When Rockmond and Maya Dunbar met as actors on set in 2012, no one could have predicted they would 12 years later be married, have four kids whom they homeschool, and live in a house in Historic Brookhaven. “He played my husband and we filmed one day together,” says Maya, who at the time was acting but now concentrates on screenwriting.

 

The two started talking, soon Maya flew to Atlanta where Rockmond was filming, they took a road trip to Savannah, and then decided to become a couple. They were married in 2013 and have been together ever since.

 

Rockmond, who most recently played Michael Grant on the Fox first-responder drama series 911, is no stranger to Atlanta. Originally from Oakland, CA, he attended Morehouse College before going on to study at College of Santa Fe and the University of New Mexico. From there, he headed to Hollywood and made his film debut in Misery Loves Company in 1993.

 

His career has spanned over 30 years and includes film and TV credits as an actor, director, and producer. Among his better known television roles, he played Benjamin Miles “C Note” Franklin on the Fox series Prison Break, Baines on NBC’s Earth 2, Kenny Chadway on Showtime’s Soul Food, and Lieutenant Eli Roosevelt in FX’s Sons of Anarchy. For film, he is best known for his roles in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Family That Preys.

 

Maya is originally from Kent, Ohio. She majored in English and played Division I field hockey at Miami University. “I had ambitions to be a lawyer,” she says, noting she was also always involved in theater. After two years at Miami University she entered a video competition where she wrote, directed, and acted. She did so well that it gave her the confidence, or “delusion” as she says, to move to Los Angeles and embark on an acting career.

 

While she also has acted in both film and television, her most well-known roles were as Juliet in Cinemax’s Banshee and Dr. Lyric Stansfield-Cruz in the network’s Zane’s Sex Chronicles. But her true love and calling is writing, so she gave up acting and is now focused on television and film scripts. Her writing credits include episodes of NBC’s Bluff City Law and Ordinary Joe.

 

The Dunbars have four children: Berkeley (10), Czar (8), Pharaoh (6), and Sultan (4). They live on Lakehaven Drive with their two goldendoodles Nahla Boo and Cookie Crumble. Rather than opt for an area public or nearby private school, the Dunbars have chosen to homeschool their children. “It’s the hardest yet most rewarding ‘job,’ duty, blessing that has been bestowed upon us as parents,” they say. “The ability to actively mold and nurture our children as they develop into who they’re meant to be without outside noise, interference, and societal chaos has allowed us to witness their natural personalities evolve and it's a beautiful thing to see.”

 

Berkeley, their oldest, started at a traditional Kindergarten but then was online when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The Dunbars chose homeschooling over virtual classes and have continued from there. “Covid sped up something we already felt was going to happen,” says Maya.

 

While school might be at home, the Dunbar children are active in sports and other activities. Berkeley plays tennis and basketball, and takes gymnastics. Czar recently had tryouts at Buckhead Baseball, plays soccer, and participates in gymnastics. Pharoah and Sultan also play soccer. They are part of area homeschool groups where they can pursue skating, forest basing, music, and more.

 

The Dunbars are a close-knit family and their favorite hangout spot is their home. When not homeschooling, you might find the entire family running up Stone Mountain, glamping, or snuggling in their home theater watching a movie. They enjoy cooking and their favorite family dinner is roasted chicken with collard greens, a big fresh salad, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

 

Their favorite holiday is Kwanza. “We love decorating, celebrating our traditions, and remembering what’s truly important: family, health, pride, and our culture,” they say. They note how much their family enjoys all the Christmas and other holiday decorations throughout the neighborhood.

 

Art also plays a role in their family life. Rockmond is a painter who prior to becoming a father had time to create and sell his works of art. Now they enjoy what Maya calls “free art,” where Rockmond works with the kids to create their own canvases.

 

At the same time they are educating their children, Maya and Rock are still active in their careers. Maya just finished the screen adaptation of the novel Confessions in B-Flat, which is being produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners with Octavia Spencer as producer.

 

They formed MyRock Entertainment through which Rockmond optioned the rights to the book Soul on Bikes: The East Bay Dragons MC and the Black Biker Set. The book tells the story of Oakland’s first all-black motorcycle club, and the film will be produced out of MyRock with Rockmond directing.

 

How did the Dunbars end up in Historic Brookhaven? When they decided to leave California, they saw Atlanta as a booming area for the film industry. They got to know Historic Brookhaven when Maya was working as a writer for Ordinary Joe, which filmed in the neighborhood. They then were drawn in by the quiet suburban character that offered a big city’s diversity and nearby amenities.

 

“This neighborhood truly feels like it’s outside of the perimeter somewhere, and yet we can get almost anywhere, including the airport, in about 25-30 minutes,” they say. “Compared to LA, it’s a dream.” They moved in three years ago.

 

Maya and Rockmond fell in love with their house, but wanted to meet the neighbors before purchasing it as homes on their part of Lakehaven sit close to one another. They instantly fell in love with neighbor Paul Jolley. Maya says he is like a grandfather to her kids, whose real grandparents all live out of state. “We feel that God intended for us to meet and we are so grateful that he’s not only our neighbor, but our friend and family,” she adds.

 

 

 SIDEBAR TO COVER STORY

HEAD = The Dunbars’ Favorite Things

 

Restaurants: Emmy Squared Pizza, Juci Jerk in Stone Mountain, Playa Bowls in Chamblee

 

Vacation spots: Jamaica (especially a villa they frequent in Discovery Bay https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9063654?source_impression_id=p3_1652812241_B2GY5suwmjtRwM9J) and Savannah (“Simply because 13 years ago it was where Rock and I decided to become a couple,” says Maya.)

 

Sports teams: Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Oakland Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders), Golden State Warriors

 

T.V. shows and movies: The Wizard of Oz, My Girl, Edward Scissorhands, Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse, Forrest Gump, Malcolm X

Music: Afrobeats, jazz, R&B classics