Cass Bird
Yara Shahidi is getting her wings.
The actor is set to play Tinkerbell in Disney’s “Peter Pan and Wendy,” the studio’s latest live-action adaptation. Shahidi joins a cast that features Jude Law as Captain Hook, with Alexander Molony as Peter Pan and newcomer Ever Anderson as Wendy.
“Pete’s Dragon” director David Lowery is on board to direct and co-wrote the script with Toby Halbrooks. Jim Whitaker is producing.
Shahidi is best known for her starring role on ABC’s “Black-ish,” as well as being a star and producer of Freeform’s “Grown-ish.” The actor and activist recently signed an overall deal with ABC Studios. On the film side, Shahidi recently led the YA drama “The Sun Is Also a Star.”
Though there have been many adaptations of the Peter Pan story, Shahidi will be the first Black woman to take on the role on screen. The decision follows recent moves by Disney to diversify their casting. Notably, Shahidi’s “Grown-ish” co-star Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” and Niles Fitch was cast as the studio’s first live-action Black prince in “Secret Society of Second-Born Royals” on Disney Plus.
“Peter Pan and Wendy,” an update of Disney’s 1953 animated film, is the latest in a long line of live-action adaptations from the studio. The studio’s most recent adaptation, Niki Caro’s “Mulan,” debuted on Disney Plus earlier this month after delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Shahidi is repped by CAA, Principal Entertainment and the Nord Group. Deadline was first to report the news.
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