Yara Shahidi, star of ABCโs Grown-ish and a leader in the growing group of impressive and talented young Black women making waves in Hollywood, will be taking on the iconic role of Tinker Bell in Disneyโs upcoming live-action film adaptation of Peter Pan.
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According to Deadline, Shahidi will be the first person of color to play this character in the childrenโs story, which was brought to animated life by Disney in 1953 and in other films over the years with white women portraying the sneaky fairy.
The casting reflects not only Shadidiโs brightly shining star, but also Disneyโs work to diversify the faces in its wide-reaching entertainment productionsโa move which opened the door for Shahidiโs Grown-ish cast mate Halle Bailey to earn the iconic role of Princess Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid last year.
The live-action film Peter Pan and Wendy, with Shahidi as Tinker Bill, will be directed by David Lowery.ย
From Deadline:
Shahidi joins Jude Law, who will play Captain Hook, as well as Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson, who will play the title characters. Lowery is on board to direct the project and also co-wrote the script with Toby Halbrooks. Jim Whitaker is producing.
In novel and films, Tinker Bell is a fairy and Panโs closest friend and was famously played by Julia Roberts in Spielbergโs retelling. In recent years, Disney has been open to any actor playing a role that originally was limited to Caucasian talent, making waves after setting Bailey to play the mermaid Ariel. With Tinker Bell, the studio and Lowery wanted to do the same from the get-go and quickly pursued Shahidi, whose star has been on the rise for some time.
Itโs exciting to know that a new generation of Black girls will get to grow up seeing themselves in all kinds of classic childrenโs stories, in large part because of a new generation of Black girls who are staking their claim in the entertainment industry.
On the heels of Zendayaโs inspiring and groundbreaking Emmy victory, Lizzoโs Vogue cover, and Megan the Stallionโs Time 100 honor, itโs clear that Black girls are winning all over. And we love to see it.
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