Yara Shahidi’s Next Freeform Show ‘Smoakland’ Is All About Weed (!)
Yara Shahidi's latest project will explore a pretty polarizing subject: the world of marijuana. The 20-year-old Black-ish and Grown-ish star already keeps busy as an actor, entrepreneur, and political activist (she regularly encouraged fans to vote ahead of the 2020 presidential election), but Shahidi is now finding her groove as a producer, too. According to Deadline, Yara Shahidi will produce a new Freeform show called Smoakland, and yes, it's all about weed.
Written by The Chi's Jewel Coronel, Smoakland will be developed under Shahidi and her mom Keri Shahidi's production company, 7th Sun Productions. She'll executive produce alongside her mom, Coronel, and Zahir McGee (Scandal). Per Deadline, the single-camera comedy will follow Solo, an Oakland native with a "budding cannabis company" who's juggling family, friendship, and love as she works to make it in the cannabis industry. So far, there's no word on who will star as Solo.
Soon after the announcement, Shahidi took to Instagram to share her excitement alongside a photo of her mom. "IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO," she wrote. "Proud." Her mom also shared a screenshot of the Deadline story and wrote, "CHASE CREATIVITY."
In September 2020, Deadline also reported that Shahidi will play Tinker Bell in Disney's live-action adaptation Peter Pan and Wendy, joining an ace cast that includes Jude Law as Captain Hook, Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, and Ever Anderson as Wendy. Shahidi also excitedly shared that news on Instagram alongside some fan art that'll help you imagine what her characterization might look like.
"Thank you for all of the love. It, truly, means so much to me 💕🧚🏽♂️ I’m excited for this next adventure!" she wrote.
Although production details on both Smoakland and Peter Pan and Wendy remain limited (especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has put a long pause on many TV and film productions), it's good to know Shahidi doesn't plan to stop lighting up fans' screens any time soon.
