If You Love Gossip Girl, Prepare To Obsess Over The Come Up Cast

Every generation gets their aspirational New York city cool kids show. Gen X had Sex and the City, Friends, and Living Single. Millennials had Girls, Gossip Girl, and The Bold Type. Gen Z has Gossip Girl (the spinoff) and, now, The Come Up. Like many shows before it, Freeform’s new series follows six young creatives living in New York City as they work to make their dreams come true. This time though, they’re real people.

Some of the docu-reality series’ cast already have major achievements under their belt, while others are just getting started in the city that has everything to offer. Fashion designer Taofeek Abijako, for example, became the youngest designer ever to have his work featured in New York Fashion Week in 2018 at just 19 years old. He’s joined in the cast by model Fernando Casablancas, photographer Sophia Wilson, nightlife personality Ebon Trower (a.k.a. Ebon Gore), and actors Claude Shwartz and Ben Hard. Shwartz is a New York native with a background in acting, while Hard is a newcomer to the city who’s willing to try anything and everything — and I mean everything.

Like many reality shows, the cast’s love lives quickly steal focus from discussion of their careers. For example, Casablancas opened up about his relationship with Australian model Jordan Barrett, whom he “married” (not legally) in Ibiza last year. (Kate Moss served as the ring bearer.) Hard, meanwhile, explored his sexuality on the show and discussed his parents’ less-than-positive reactions.

Below, get to know the social media account for the colorful characters who frequent New York’s downtown scene before diving into the show. The Come Up airs back-to-back episodes every Tuesday at 10 p.m. on Freeform. Episodes are also available to stream on Hulu the next day.

Taofeek Abijako

Age: 24

Pronouns: He/Him

Job: Fashion designer

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Instagram: @feek____

TikTok: @headofstate_

Twitter: @feek___

Fernando Casablancas

Age: 24

Pronouns: He/They

Job: Model

Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Instagram: @thefernandoshow

TikTok: @itsthefernandoshow

Twitter: N/A

Claude Shwartz

Age: 24

Pronouns: She/Her

Job: Actor

Hometown: New York City

Instagram: @clootina

TikTok: N/A

Twitter: @claudeshwartz

Sophia Wilson

Age: 22

Pronouns: She/Her

Job: Photographer

Hometown: New York City

Instagram: @phiawilson

TikTok: N/A

Twitter: @sophiatwilson

Ebon Trower

Age: 23

Pronouns: She/Her

Job: Nightlife Personality

Hometown: Jacksonville, North Carolina

Instagram: @ebonnights

TikTok: N/A

Twitter: N/A

Ben Hard

Age: 23

Pronouns: He/Him

Job: Actor & Comedian

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas

Instagram: @ben_hard

TikTok: @benhard8

Twitter: @ben__hard