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Yara Shahidi Gets Real About Her Upcoming Role As Tinkerbell: ‘Telling a Story That Feels Reflective of the Times’

The Harvard graduate is best known for her almost decade long appearance on ‘Black-ish’ and ‘Grown-ish’

Ananya Panchal

Yara Shahidi.

Yara Shahidi.

Yara Shahidi had no trouble deciding whether or not she wanted to take on the role of Tinkerbell in the upcoming Disney+ live-action film Peter Pan & Wendy. The 23-year-old actress, who is best known for her almost-decade worth of time on Black-ish and the ABC show’s spin-off Grown-ish, opened up to People about what it means to play the fan-favorite fairy, and how she’s dealt with racist internet trolls.

“Tinker Bell was just a no-brainer,” she explained effortlessly. “It’s such an iconic part. The character has a long lineage of really incredible actresses playing her. I think [Julia Roberts’ portrayal in 1991’s Hook] is one of the first Tinker Bells that kind of strays from what we imagine as the animated version. It was fun to look back and watch the OG movie and her performance.” 

Before signing on to the film, which releases on the streaming platform on April 28, the Black Iranian-American actress asked director David Lowery: “What do we want to accomplish with this remake of something that’s been done and is so beloved?”

The response was nuanced, but Shahidi’s goal has always been clear to her.

“I think what really spoke to me is the fact that the entire Disney team was committed to doing more than just swapping out ethnicities,” she said, “It’s about telling a story that feels reflective of the times that we’re in. I think every change was extremely intentional.”

The Minneapolis native admitted that she doesn’t use Twitter, which to most might be seen as a marketing and publicity disadvantage. But for Shahidi, who received backlash—that echoes the same prejudiced statements Halle Berry (The Little Mermaid) faced—as soon as she was announced as Tinkerbell, it’s actually been a fortunate decision. 

She graduated from Harvard in May 2022 and though she experienced extreme amounts of classic college life FOMO, while flying cross-country from Massachusetts to Los Angeles, she wouldn’t change a thing.

“I think it was such a necessary balance to my life,” she added about completing her degree. “The idea of having an acting world and an academic world—one gave the other meaning. To be able to say, ‘I’m studying Black political thought under Neocolonialism,’ and embrace how specific that is, allowed me to look at my work with new ways to find meaning in it.”

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

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