Actress Yara Shahidi will be bringing her #BlackGirlMagic to the live-action adaptation of the animated classic film Peter Pan. According to Deadline, the grown-ish star has been tapped to play the role of Tinker Bell in the upcoming Disney movie.
Shahidi’s casting in the project—dubbed Peter Pan and Wendy—is historic as it marks the first time that a woman of color has taken on the role of the fictional fairy. Since Disney released the original film in 1953, which was inspired by the novel penned by Scottish author and playwright J. M. Barrie in 1904, there have been several adaptations led by an array of production studios. Among those films was the 1991 Steven Spielberg-produced movie Hook which starred Robin Williams and Julia Roberts. Shahidi will star alongside Jude Law, Ever Anderson and Alexander Molony. David Lowery will serve as the director of the project and Jim Whitaker will be the producer. The script was written by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks.
Disney has been putting the focus on racial representation, especially when it comes to the reimagination of classic films that historically lacked diversity. In August, it was revealed This Is Us star Niles Fitch would become Disney’s first African American live-action prince. In 2019, the company announced songstress Halle Bailey would star as Ariel in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
Shahidi has been making major moves in the entertainment industry. In July, she unveiled the creation of a new production company named 7th Sun that she co-founded with her mother Keri Shahidi. The core of the company’s mission is to create content that amplifies the narratives of underrepresented groups. Through 7th Sun, the mother-daughter duo inked a deal with ABC Studios to produce an array of projects for cable, broadcast and streaming services.
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