Yara Shahidi will kick it with celebrity peers in a new show premiering on Facebook Watch later this month.
The actor, model, activist and self-proclaimed “music nerd” — best known for starring on “Black-ish” and “Grown-ish” — stars in and executive produces Facebook Watch original series “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off.” In each episode, Shahidi will participate in a range of activities with her celeb guests that reflect “their authentic interests outside of their fame,” spanning horseback riding, gymnastics, golfing, soccer and game night.
“Yara Shahidi’s Day Off” premieres Thursday, Sept. 29, at 9 a.m. PT, on Facebook Watch, Shahidi’s Facebook page (2.2 million followers) and her Instagram page (7.6 million followers).
The premiere episode will feature massively popular TikTok creator Khaby Lame, in one of his first American sit-down interviews. Additional guests on the show will include Liza Koshy, Chloe Kim, Swae Lee, Elsa Majimbo, Amanda Seales, Alton Mason and Nas. Shahidi also will have intimate chats with her guests, asking them to divulge the one question nobody never asks that they wish people would.
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The series is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment and Yara Shahidi and Keri Salter-Shahidi’s 7th Sun Productions.
“Much of our world and work as a family has been inspired by the intimate conversation we’ve had with the incredible people we’re surrounded by,” Shahidi said in a statement. “For years, we at 7th Sun have wanted to open the door wide open and share with my peers how moving it is to hear some of my favorite folks talk about their favorite things. We are excited to join forces with Jesse Collins Entertainment, Tiffany Mills and Meta to share these meaningful moments with my peers!”
Meta’s Facebook Watch is the social network’s video hub that aggregates original shows alongside content from creators and publishers. Facebook Watch bowed in 2017 with several scripted series, but it has shifted away from such programming after finding more success with personality-driven shows, such as Jada Pinkett Smith’s popular “Red Table Talk.” “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off” is in the same vein as “JoJo Goes,” the Facebook Watch original in which Gen Z superstar JoJo Siwa partakes in “crazy-fun adventures” with her friends.
For “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off,” Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon serve as executive producers for Jesse Collins Entertainment; Shahidi, Salter-Shahidi and Liz York serve as EPs for 7th Sun. Showrunner Tiffany Mills also is an executive producer, and Blue and Shweta Thakur serve as co-executive producers.
Salter-Shahidi, who is Yara’s mother and principal for 7th Sun, commented: “It’s been energizing to progress an idea created around our dinner table, into a show that gives space for people to share more about themselves.” Jesse Collins added: “As longtime supporters and fans of Yara Shahidi, we are elated to join forces with the 7th Sun team and Meta to bring Yara’s vision to fruition. She is an incredible talent and we are so excited for the world to see what she will bring to the talk show landscape.”
“Yara Shahidi is truly an inspiring talent and her enthusiasm for honest and intimate conversations has brought this series to life,” said Mina Lefevre, Meta’s head of development and programming.
Watch the trailer for “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off”:
