There is a beautiful, young, and talented starlet that the world needs to watch out for and her name is Yara Shahidi. She is only 20 years old but she is already making major waves as an actress, model, and activist. Starting in 2014, she starred in the show Black-ish and the world started to pay attention to her in a big way. She landed her own spinoff show, Grown-ish starting in 2018.

RELATED: 15 Things You Didn't Know About Black-ish

It might surprise her fans to learn that she actually was featured on a popular Disney Channel show before her big break. It might also surprise her fans to find out that she has famous family members who are extremely talented, just like she is... amongst other interesting fun facts!

10 Yara Shahidi Is Friends With Zendaya

Yara Shahidi and Zendaya have a few things in common. They are both young women of color who are rising up in the Hollywood spotlight. Zendaya got her start on the Disney Channel alongside the likes of Bella Thorne and interestingly enough, Yara Shahidi actually appeared on a Disney Channel show herself alongside Selena Gomez.

RELATED: 10 Of Zendaya’s Closest Hollywood Friends

She appeared on which is the Waverly place before landing a leading role on Black-ish which eventually led to the spinoff, Grown-ish. It is no surprise that Zendaya and Yara Shahidi are good friends.

9 Farsi Was Yara Shahidi's First Language

When it comes to speaking multiple languages, Yara Shahidi is up for the challenge. English is not her first language despite the fact that it is the language she speaks when she acts in movies and TV shows.

Farsi was actually the first language that she learned to speak growing up. Her ability to learn multiple languages simply shows how talented and well-rounded she is. It is difficult to learn second languages but for her, she took the time to learn English along with her native language of Farsi.

8 Yara Shahidi Loves The MCU

It is easy to be a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe because it is filled with so many heroic characters an incredible storyline is based on comic books that changed people's lives throughout history.

Yara Shahidi said, “I am obsessed with Marvel... as somebody who loves the comic books and what they have stood for throughout the years.” Her interest in MCU is not uncommon whatsoever. Most people who watch Marvel movies or read the comic books find themselves instantly attached to the stories and what they represent, as well as the heroes and even sometimes villains. Fans can easily picture her as marvel's Ironheart.

7 Yara Shahidi's Brothers Are Actors Too

Yara Shahidi is not the only actor in her family. She grew up amongst a bunch of talent. Her Sayeed Shahidi and Ehsan Shahidi have both entered into the world of acting, just like their sister. They snagged roles in shows like Uncle Buck, The First Family, Switched at Birth, Black-ish, and The People v. OJ Simpson: An American Crime Story.

Talent often runs in the family! For example, the Smith family consists of Will, Jada, Jaden, and Willow Smith... every member of the family is talented in their own way whether it's acting, music, or both.

6 Yara Shahidi Admires Angela Bassett

It is easy to admire a talented and beautiful African-American actress like Angela Bassett. Angela Bassett won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.

She also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Motion Picture Musical or Comedy over the course of her career. It isn't a shock at all that a young and upcoming actress like Yara Shahidi would admire someone like Angela Bassett.

5 Yara Shahidi Has A Black Belt In Karate

Just like Ariel Winter, Yara Shahidi has a black belt in karate. Karate is such a special sport to be trained in because it requires so much discipline, dedication, and precise technique. Not everyone has the patience needed to get to the level of a black belt in karate.

Yara Shahidi's choice to get a black belt in karate goes hand in hand with the fact that self-defense is so important in this day and age. Being able to protect oneself from a criminal attack is valuable knowledge.

4 Nas Is Yara Shahidi's Cousin

Nas is one of the world's most profound and well-spoken rappers alive today. he often gets compared to the likes of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. What these rappers have in common is that their songs have deep messages attached to them. They do not always just put out party music... they release music with a meaning.

Interestingly enough, Nas is actually Yara Shahidi's cousin! Talent really does run in her blood because he is on a higher level in the rap industry in comparison to other rappers in his genre.

3 The 2016 Election Sparked Yara Shahidi's Interest In Activism

The election of 2016 helped inspire Yara Shahidi in terms of her activism. She became much more outspoken and knew how important it was to vocalize her beliefs to the world with the platform that she has.

RELATED: Celebrities Unite As RepresentUs Tonight to Make Sure All Americans Can Vote Safely

Not everyone has hundreds of thousands of followers across their social media platforms and the fact that she does prove that she has a voice that people want to hear. She says things that other people care to listen to and because of that, she works hard in the world of activism.

2 Yara Shahidi Urged Grown-ish Creator To Have A More Diverse Show

Kenya Barris, the creator of Grown-ish, admitted that Yara Shahidi really pushed for a more diverse cast. He said that she urged him to “cast actors with a wider array of skin tones.” (Culteress.) Making sure that modern television is more diverse than it has been in the past is very important.

It is a big deal for casting directors to make sure that there are characters of each and every race and ethnicity included on the show so that there is a fair representation. Without this, different cultures might feel neglected and underrepresented when it comes to what they see on their TV screens.

1 Michelle Obama Wrote A Letter of Recommendation For Yara Shahidi

Imagine having a letter of recommendation written by Michelle Obama! Yara Shahidi is a young starlet who actually can say that she has a letter of recommendation from Michelle Obama written in her name. The former first lady is beyond influential.

Many people care about her opinions and viewpoints. She is incredibly intelligent and she cares about the well-being of society. She wrote Yara Shahidi a letter of recommendation which proves that she sees a lot of potential in the young actress.

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