Yara Shahidi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yara Shahidi
Shahidi in a 2018 interview
Born	Yara Sayeh Shahidi (2000-02-10) February 10, 2000 (age 25) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Education	Harvard University (BA)
Occupation	Actress, producer
Years active	2006–present
Relatives	Sayeed Shahidi (brother) Nas (cousin)

Yara Sayeh Shahidi (born February 10, 2000) is an American actress and producer. She started acting when she was a child. She appeared in movies like Imagine That (2009) and Alex Cross (2012).

Yara became well-known for her role as Zoey Johnson in the TV show Black-ish (2014–2022). She then starred in its spin-off series Grown-ish (2018–2024). She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Black-ish. Time magazine named her one of "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2016." She has also done voice acting in animated films like Smallfoot (2018) and PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021).

In 2019, Yara played her first main adult role in the movie The Sun Is Also a Star. In 2023, she played Tinker Bell in the fantasy adventure film Peter Pan & Wendy. She also helped produce and starred in the movie Sitting in Bars with Cake.

Early Life and School

Yara Sayeh Shahidi was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her parents are Keri Salter Shahidi and Afshin Shahidi. Her dad, Afshin, is a photographer. Yara's mom, Keri, has African American and Choctaw heritage. Her dad, Afshin, is Iranian.

When Yara was 4 years old, her family moved to California. She has a younger brother, Sayeed Shahidi, who is also an actor. Their younger brother is Ehsan. The famous rapper Nas is her cousin. The name Yara means "Someone who is close to your heart" in Persian.

Yara went to Immaculate Heart Middle School and High School. She later finished high school through Dwight Global Online School in 2017. In 2017, she was accepted into Harvard University. She took a year off before starting her studies in 2018. She planned to study Sociology and Black American Studies. Yara graduated from Harvard in 2022.

Yara Shahidi at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival

Acting Career

Starting Out

Yara Shahidi began her acting career at age 6. She appeared in TV commercials and print ads for many companies. These included McDonald's, Ralph Lauren, and Disney. She often worked with her mom and younger brother.

Her first TV appearance was in the HBO show Entourage in 2007. In 2009, she had a role in the ABC comedy In the Motherhood. She also guest-starred on Cold Case and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Yara made her first movie appearance in 2009. She starred with Eddie Murphy in Imagine That. For this role, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award. In 2010, she was in the action film Salt with Angelina Jolie. The next year, she starred in the comedy Butter. In 2012, she appeared in the action movie Alex Cross. From 2012 to 2013, Yara was a regular on the TV show The First Family. She played Chloe Johnson, the daughter of the President. In 2013, she played a young Olivia Pope in two episodes of Scandal.

Becoming Well-Known

In 2014, Yara was cast as Zoey Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. Zoey was the oldest daughter of the characters played by Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross. Yara won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show. She also received a Gracie Award in 2016.

She left Black-ish after three seasons but returned as a guest star later. In 2017, ABC announced that Yara would star in a spin-off show called Grown-ish. This series started on January 3, 2018. Yara received three NAACP Image Award nominations for her role in Grown-ish. She left the main cast after five seasons but stayed on as an executive producer and guest star for the final season in 2023.

In 2016, Yara also started modeling with Women Management. She wanted to help more women of color get diverse roles. Time magazine included her on their "30 Most Influential Teens of 2016" list. She was also on the cover of British Vogue in September 2019. In 2021, Yara launched a sportswear collection with Adidas.

In 2019, Yara played the main role in the teen drama film The Sun Is Also a Star. This movie was based on a popular young adult novel. She also helped produce the animated short film Hair Love (2019), which won an Academy Award. She has lent her voice to animated movies like Smallfoot (2018), Fearless (2020), PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021), and My Father's Dragon (2022).

In 2020, Yara and her mother started their own production company called 7th Sun. They signed a deal with ABC Studios to create new shows.

Recent Work

In 2023, Yara starred in the Apple TV+ series Extrapolations. She also played Tinker Bell in the fantasy adventure film Peter Pan & Wendy. This movie was a new version of the classic Peter Pan story. It came out on Disney+ on April 28, 2023.

Later in 2023, Yara was an executive producer and played the main role in the romantic comedy-drama film Sitting in Bars with Cake. Critics praised her performance as a law student caring for her friend with cancer. She received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture nomination for this role.

Yara is expected to star next in the thriller Ballerina Overdrive.

Activism

Yara Shahidi is also known for her activism. She started an organization called Eighteen x 18 with NowThis News. This group encourages young people to vote for the first time. She also created Yara's Club, which helps mentor young women online. The goal is to fight poverty through education.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama noticed Yara's activism. Michelle Obama even wrote a letter of recommendation for Yara to Harvard University. In 2017, Yara also had the chance to interview Hillary Clinton for Teen Vogue.

In 2021, Yara joined the Dior Stand with Women campaign. In October 2023, Yara signed an open letter for the "Artists4Ceasefire" campaign. This letter asked President Joe Biden to help stop the conflict and protect civilians in the Gaza war.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Yara Shahidi para niños