It is now time for Yara Shahidi to get her wings in the anticipated live-action from Disney. Disney has been making strides in diversifying its classic characters that have traditionally featured white actresses. Shahidi will be the first Black woman to take on the role of Tinkerbell on screen. Sources tell Deadline that the Grown-ish actress Yara Shahidi is cast in Disney’s live-action Peter Pan and Wendy to play Tinkerbell.
Disney has David Lowery on board to direct and co-write the script with Toby Halbrooks. Jim Whitaker is producing the film. Shahidi joins Jude Law, to play Captain Hook, Alexander Molony, to play Peter Pan, and newcomer Ever Anderson to play Wendy.
Deadline also claims that the release is expected to be theatrical and has no plans to go the Disney+ streaming route. Many different studios have made their versions of Peter Pan, including Steven Spielberg’s Hook starring Robin Williams and Joe Wright’s Pan, but sadly both films didn’t do well at the box office. The J.M. Barrie novel’s most successful adaptation about Peter Pan is the 1953 animated classic from Disney.
Shahidi rose to fame as Zoey, the daughter of Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross’s characters on the ABC sitcom Black-ish. Her character, Zoey, was given a spinoff series Grown-ish as her character was a fan favorite on Black-ish. Her recent film was YA adaptation The Sun Is Also a Star opposite Charles Melton.
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