Yara Shahidi, star of the Freeform series, Grown-ish, has inked an overall deal with ABC Studios, launching her own production company.
The monumental deal is for Shadidi’s new production company, 7th Sun Productions, to develop and produce scripted and alternative television projects for cable alongside her business partner and mother, Keri Shahidi.
“I’m thrilled to be partnering with my home family, ABC Studios, in this exciting next chapter, alongside my family,” said Shahidi. “It’s exciting to add our production company to the roster of my peers and mentors who are also actively committed to sharing meaningful stories.”
ABC echoed Shahidi’s sentiments in their own statement.
“We can’t wait to extend and expand our relationship with the incredibly talented Yara Shahidi, who has been a member of the family since black-ish,” said ABC Studios President Jonnie Davis. “When she’s not studying at Harvard and starring in our series’ grown-ish,’ she’s mentoring and inspiring other young people, which makes us all feel like underachievers but also very proud that she’s part of our Studio.”
Shahidi rose to fame in the Kenya Barris-created ABC sitcom, Black-ish, where she starred as Zoey Johnson. Grown-ish is a spin-off of the hit series.
“Yara is a force,” said Barris. “She is insanely talented, unreasonably smart and hardworking beyond compare. I’ve called her ‘McMogul’ for years and seeing all that she has accomplished should come as no surprise to anyone that knows her. This deal is just the beginning for Yara, and I’m excited to see where she takes this next chapter and the storyteller she becomes.”
