Yara Shahidi talks about acting (she calls it her “hobby”) the way most 18-year-olds talk about club basketball. It’s given her friends and role models; it doesn’t define her. Four years ago, the Minneapolis native joined Black-ish, ABC’s Peabody-winning sitcom about the Johnson family. As the comedy developed—addressing racism, child-rearing, and national politics—so did the actress, who now fronts the show’s spin-off series, Grown-ish. (Season two premieres in January.) Over four seasons of Black-ish, Shahidi developed an erudite political consciousness. She waxes poetic about civic engagement and refugee policy; she hosted a voter-registration party to celebrate her eighteenth birthday. When she appeared on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah last January, the late-night host, a professional conversationalist, was stunned. “You lyrically flow through your ideas with a level of panache that most people do not possess,” he told Shahidi after a long pause.
Currently, the African American–Iranian actress is a freshman at Harvard University, where she’s focusing on social studies. Outside the classroom, she’s working on her voter-registration campaign, Eighteen x 18 (eighteenx18.com), and a forthcoming podcast. In the midst of it all, she carved out time to talk about the state of Hollywood.
For you, what does it mean to be a woman in Hollywood in 2018?
We’re holding people accountable for their actions. There’s an intentional knowledge disparity in any industry, which is tied to the maintaining of power. I love the fact that this community of women is disintegrating that. I’ve been able to reap the benefits of it, and I’m also fortunate to have my parents with me, guiding me. This is a hobby, so I haven’t had to do this as something that my family and I depend on, which has helped alleviate pressures that many actors feel.
Have you seen a tangible change in the last year?
I do see a tangible change, or at least, I feel we’re on the precipice of one. There’s a correlation between [these] movements and the fact that there are more women behind the camera, in production, creating film.
Can you talk about a time you advocated for yourself?
I always had exams and school, which [required] major conversations, making sure that my academic needs were met.
You started Black-ish at 14. Do people treat you differently now?
I have more input in the day-to-day stories. Kenya [Barris, creator of Black-ish] is somebody I can call with concerns, questions, and ideas.
Whose careers do you admire?
Angela Bassett. She’s extremely academic and just an amazing human. Brian Tyree Henry, who plays Paper Boi in Atlanta. And Pharrell—he’s the all-around creative, in terms of his work as a producer, writer, content creator, and clothing designer.
Is mentorship important?
Sharing information opens doors. We don’t know what we don’t know. [Laughs] When people share their experiences, it makes us feel like we’re all going a little less insane.
Have you ever experienced sexism or ageism?
On a macro scale, we forget our ability to negotiate [salaries]. And in terms of ageism, people will normalize undervaluing you, but in a way that’s so nonsensical.
Who’s helped guide your political activism?
Podcasts! Like Code Switch, Still Processing, and DeRay Mckesson’s [Pod Save the People]; people like Patrisse Cullors and Shaun King. So many of my peers are doing amazing work. Because we’re fighting for the greater good, people are more willing to share their information and resources.
Which issues are currently the most important to you?
All of them! Immigration, gun control. There’s been a lack of humanity, especially in the policies of these past two years, policies that alienate minorities, whether it be a person of color, an immigrant, or someone differently abled. The list goes on and on. Going into the midterms, it’s important to keep in mind that as much as you’re voting for yourself, you’re also voting for your community.
Did you vote in the primaries?
Yes! That was really exciting. But it made me realize how confusing this process is, and I consider myself fairly well informed.
Which classes at Harvard are you the most excited about?
Film class. The first time I visited, I sat in on a class on African film and the dehumanization of characters. They were watching Amistad and talking about how the cinematography detached you from the main character.
What’s a great lesson your parents have shared with you?
A lot of our conversations are about quality of life: How do we create a life we enjoy? What’s going to fill my cup up in terms of being philanthropic? My mother always says, “There’s nothing more interesting than an interested human.”
This article originally appeared in the November 2018 issue of ELLE.
