# Yara Shahidi
**Yara Shahidi** (full name Yara Sayeh Shahidi) is an American actress and producer born in 2000 in [Minneapolis](https://www.edgepedia.org/minneapolis), Minnesota, best known for playing Zoey Johnson on the ABC sitcom *black-ish* and its Freeform spin-off *grown-ish*, on which she also serves as executive producer.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop) • [2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) Alongside her acting, she has built a public profile as an advocate for voter participation and inclusive media, co-founded the production company 7th Sun Productions with her mother, and graduated from Harvard University in 2022.[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [3](https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/03/14/life-design-with-yara-shahidi/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2000, Minneapolis, Minnesota; daughter of photographer Afshin Shahidi (Iranian-American) and actress Keri Shahidi (African-American)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop) |
| Breakout role | Zoey Johnson on *black-ish* (ABC, from 2014), continued in the Freeform spin-off *grown-ish* from January 3, 2018, as star and executive producer[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [4](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/yara-shahidi-interview-grownish-taking-zoey-johnson-to-college) |
| Education | Harvard University, entered 2018 after a gap year; graduated 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in social studies and African American studies[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) |
| Awards | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2015); Gracie Award for Female in a Breakthrough Role (2016); Forbes 30 Under 30 (2017 and 2018)[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) |
| Producing | 7th Sun Productions, a multi-year producing deal with ABC signed in 2019 with her mother and business partner Keri Shahidi[5](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/yara_shahidi_bio_director_5808a4f3.pdf) |
| Advocacy | Founded Eighteen x 18 (later WeVoteNext), a voting initiative for Gen Z and BIPOC inclusion, and Yara's Club, a mentorship partnership with the Young Women's Leadership Schools in New York[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [6](https://www.wienxtra.at/fileadmin/web/cinemagic/pdf_Unterrichtsmaterial/Smallfoot_Presseheft.pdf) |
## Early life and family
Shahidi was born in Minneapolis to Keri Salter Shahidi, an actress, and Afshin Shahidi, a photographer and cinematographer who arrived in the United States from Iran as a child.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop) • [7](https://www.vogue.com/article/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-interview-vogue-august-2018) Her father was one of the principal photographers for the musician Prince, and the family moved to California for his work when Yara was four years old.[8](https://time.com/5040303/yara-shahidi-afshin-shahidi-prince/) Prince later messaged her directly to say he was a fan of *black-ish* and that her character was his favorite on the show.[8](https://time.com/5040303/yara-shahidi-afshin-shahidi-prince/) The rapper Nas is her first cousin once removed.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop)
She received her start alongside her mother in international commercial and print campaigns as an infant, and her younger brothers Sayeed and Ehsan have also worked in entertainment.[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop)
## Child acting career
Before *black-ish*, Shahidi accumulated more than a dozen screen credits before reaching her teens. Her first major film role was Olivia Danielson, Eddie Murphy's character's daughter, in the Paramount comedy *Imagine That* (2009).[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/yara-shahidi/) She went on to play the daughter of [Samuel L. Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuel-l-jackson)'s character in *Unthinkable* (2010), [Angelina Jolie](https://www.edgepedia.org/angelina-jolie)'s young neighbor in *Salt* (2011), a champion butter sculptor's role in the ensemble comedy *Butter* (2011), and [Tyler Perry](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-perry)'s daughter in *Alex Cross* (2012).[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/yara-shahidi/) On television she played the President's daughter Chloe Johnson in *The First Family* and a young Olivia Pope in flashback scenes on *Scandal*.[9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/yara-shahidi/)
## Black-ish and Grown-ish
At thirteen, Shahidi auditioned for *black-ish*, the [Kenya Barris](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenya-barris) sitcom about an affluent Black family navigating race and class, and was cast as Zoey Johnson, the eldest Johnson child; the series premiered on ABC in 2014.[7](https://www.vogue.com/article/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-interview-vogue-august-2018) • [3](https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/03/14/life-design-with-yara-shahidi/) Barris said what impressed him was "the effortlessness to her acting."
In 2018 the character moved to college in *grown-ish*, a Freeform spin-off that premiered on January 3, 2018, with a supporting cast including [Luka Sabbat](https://www.edgepedia.org/luka-sabbat), Chloe and [Halle Bailey](https://www.edgepedia.org/halle-bailey), Francia Raisa, Trevor Jackson, Emily Arlook, and Jordan Buhat.[4](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/yara-shahidi-interview-grownish-taking-zoey-johnson-to-college) • [10](https://www.wmagazine.com/story/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-harvard) Shahidi serves as the show's executive producer as well as its lead, and the series has been reported as the number one cable comedy among the 18-to-49 demographic.[7](https://www.vogue.com/article/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-interview-vogue-august-2018) • [5](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/yara_shahidi_bio_director_5808a4f3.pdf) She has said the show deliberately took on college-age questions, from social pressures around sex, drugs, and alcohol to Zoey's developing political identity.[11](https://time.com/5067256/yara-shahidi-grownish/)
## Film and later work
Her first starring film role as an adult was Natasha Kingsley in *[The Sun Is Also a Star](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-sun-is-also-a-star)* (2019), an adaptation of the YA novel whose plot turns on immigration.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop) • [2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) She was cast as [Tinker Bell](https://www.edgepedia.org/tinker-bell) in Disney's live-action *Peter Pan & Wendy*, a role she filmed largely alone in a studio using audio recordings of the other actors because of the visual-effects process.[5](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/yara_shahidi_bio_director_5808a4f3.pdf) • [12](https://www.allure.com/story/yara-shahidi-tinker-bell-interview) She also executive produced and starred in the Amazon romantic comedy *Sitting in Bars with Cake* (2023) and voiced a character in Netflix's animated film *My Father's Dragon*.[5](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/yara_shahidi_bio_director_5808a4f3.pdf)
Beyond screen acting, she co-founded 7th Sun Productions, hosts *The Optimist Project* podcast, which explores how to live a more fulfilling life, and gave a TED talk, "Let curiosity lead," urging listeners not to second-guess what distracts them.[3](https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/03/14/life-design-with-yara-shahidi/) • [13](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/yara-shahidi-nat-geo-33-2025) • [14](https://www.ted.com/speakers/yara_shahidi)
## Education
Shahidi graduated from high school in 2017 and was admitted to Harvard University, beginning her studies in 2018 after a gap year spent filming *grown-ish*. Former First Lady Michelle Obama wrote her a college recommendation letter.[11](https://time.com/5067256/yara-shahidi-grownish/) She graduated in 2022 with a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) in social studies and African American studies, with a concentration in Black political thought under a neocolonial landscape; her thesis was titled "I AM A MAN: The Emancipation of Humanness from Western Hegemony Through the Lens of Sylvia Wynter."[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e)
## Activism
Shahidi's public advocacy grew with her social-media presence. When President Trump first proposed restrictions on immigration from predominantly Muslim countries in 2017, she posted a tribute to her parents' relationship, writing that she is a product of "black and Iranian love" and that "immigrants don't threaten safety, stereotypical narratives that promote hate do."[11](https://time.com/5067256/yara-shahidi-grownish/) TIME named her one of its 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017, noting that she spoke out on politics when most network TV stars avoid it.[15](https://time.com/5003930/most-influential-teens-2017/)
Her organized initiatives include Eighteen x 18, a voting guide and platform for young voters later renamed WeVoteNext, and Yara's Club, a mentorship program with the Young Women's Leadership Schools in New York.[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [6](https://www.wienxtra.at/fileadmin/web/cinemagic/pdf_Unterrichtsmaterial/Smallfoot_Presseheft.pdf) • [16](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/02/yara-shahidi-role-model-harvard-activism) She has appeared in public conversations with figures including [Angela Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/angela-davis), President Obama, Hillary Clinton, Harry Belafonte Jr., and [Cory Booker](https://www.edgepedia.org/cory-booker), and in 2020 discussed with Davis, the activist and retired UCLA professor, the global nature of racial justice work and the value of voting.[2](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e) • [17](https://time.com/5880933/angela-davis-yara-shahidi-blm-activism/)
## Public image
Profiles have repeatedly described Shahidi as a leading voice of [Generation Z](https://www.edgepedia.org/generation-z), a label she has said she is hesitant to shoulder alone, pointing to peers doing the same or different work.[11](https://time.com/5067256/yara-shahidi-grownish/) • [18](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/03/225704/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-famous-voice-generation-z-interview) Her *black-ish* co-star [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://www.edgepedia.org/tracee-ellis-ross), who plays her mother on the show, described watching her "slowly and incrementally find her voice and her courage in using her voice."[7](https://www.vogue.com/article/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-interview-vogue-august-2018) Speaking at [Johns Hopkins University](https://www.edgepedia.org/johns-hopkins-university) in 2025, she described her path as undetermined and driven by curiosity, and said her goal of widening the range of stories the entertainment industry tells has remained constant.[3](https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/03/14/life-design-with-yara-shahidi/)
## References
1. [Yara Shahidi – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2780578/bio/?mode=desktop)
2. [Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson – grown-ish Cast, ABC](https://abc.com/cast/2b366858-f326-45e5-9a61-cca48ec9447e)
3. [Actress Yara Shahidi sits down with Hopkins students and alumni, Johns Hopkins Hub (2025)](https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/03/14/life-design-with-yara-shahidi/)
4. [Yara Shahidi on "Grown-ish" and Taking Zoey Johnson to College, Teen Vogue (2018)](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/yara-shahidi-interview-grownish-taking-zoey-johnson-to-college)
5. [Yara Shahidi biography, Disney press materials](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/yara_shahidi_bio_director_5808a4f3.pdf)
6. [Smallfoot press kit biography](https://www.wienxtra.at/fileadmin/web/cinemagic/pdf_Unterrichtsmaterial/Smallfoot_Presseheft.pdf)
7. [Yara Shahidi on Art, Activism, and Making Red Carpets Meaningful, Vogue (2018)](https://www.vogue.com/article/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-interview-vogue-august-2018)
8. [Yara Shahidi and Her Parents on the Lessons They Learned From Prince, TIME (2017)](https://time.com/5040303/yara-shahidi-afshin-shahidi-prince/)
9. [Yara Shahidi – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/yara-shahidi/)
10. [Yara Shahidi on How Starring in grown-ish Is Helping Her Prepare For Harvard, W Magazine (2018)](https://www.wmagazine.com/story/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-harvard)
11. [Yara Shahidi Is Finding Her Truth Through Art and Activism, TIME (2017)](https://time.com/5067256/yara-shahidi-grownish/)
12. [Yara Shahidi on the Impact of Playing the First Black Tinker Bell, Allure](https://www.allure.com/story/yara-shahidi-tinker-bell-interview)
13. [Yara Shahidi, National Geographic 33 (2025)](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/yara-shahidi-nat-geo-33-2025)
14. [Yara Shahidi, Speaker, TED](https://www.ted.com/speakers/yara_shahidi)
15. [The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017, TIME](https://time.com/5003930/most-influential-teens-2017/)
16. [Yara Shahidi on Being a Role Model, Attending Harvard, and Continuing Her Activism, Vanity Fair (2018)](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/02/yara-shahidi-role-model-harvard-activism)
17. [Angela Davis In Conversation With Yara Shahidi, TIME (2020)](https://time.com/5880933/angela-davis-yara-shahidi-blm-activism/)
18. [Yara Shahidi: Actress, Activist, & The Voice Of Gen Z, Refinery29 (2019)](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/03/225704/yara-shahidi-grown-ish-famous-voice-generation-z-interview)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Sh to So*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license