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Yara Shahidi Gets Real About Her Love Life & Her Decision To Take A Gap Year
If you thought it was difficult to get that work/life/love balance on lock navigating through adulting as a twenty- or thirty-something, imagine what life is like for someone like Yara Shahidi. The 17-year-old not only slayed her role on Black-ish (and secured the bag with her own spin-off, Grown-ish), but also consistently speaks out about feminism, black representation in the media, and other worldly matters. She's woke, she's confident, and she's self-assured AF. And as we all know (some of us all too well), a sense of self-assuredness is enough to make any potential bae intimidated.
As dope as Yara is, I know I'm not the only one who wonders - does homegirl date? And if she does, what kind of guy would catch her eye? Would he have the charisma and undeniable charm of British transplant John Boyega or would he have the edge of a Chris Brown?
I'm picturing a mysterious wunderkind who's a hybrid of Barack Obama but with a successful rap career and royal lineage. Last-minute date nights in Paris and a text-back game we can't even imagine - this guy would have to come with his strongest game to impress our favorite little sis. No time for loose raps.
In this case, we may never know Yara's type - or at least, not for some time. In her latest interview with Seventeen, the Harvard-bound actress made it clear she isn't even thinking about these boys right now:
“I haven't dated anybody. My general outlook is if I don't have time to take a bath on a regular basis, then I don't have time for another human. I love being busy, and I enjoy where I am at right now."
Um, say what? To be so young, she has a good grasp of something some women twice her age are still trying to figure out. If you don't have room in your life for the basics of self-care, what could you possibly offer to someone in a relationship? Okay Yara, spit knowledge!
Yara also gave us some insight on where she cultivated her sense of self-assuredness. The work lies in owning and honoring yourself. For her, that means embracing the things that remind her of where she comes from and why she deserves to take up space.
"I feel like my curls have always been a part of who I am. They are a very real representation of the mix of my two cultures. When you're a part of a minority of any kind, you're told not to take up much space, but my hair does that, so there's nothing I can do except take up space with it. It gives me confidence."
The recent high school grad doesn't give the future too much power over how she lives her life in the present. The Grown-ish actress is in no rush to grow up, which could explain her commitment to remaining focused on building a full life that she loves - sans a man.
“I'm enjoying time as a kid—I've learned to appreciate the age that you are, because it disappears. There are perks to being a teen too. It comes with the freedom to explore and the freedom to have a valid opinion about the world—and to evolve it—and have people listen to you."
The unapologetic activist also shared her love for history and how that passion ultimately led to her path to activism.
“I love history, and activism is so engraved in history. So much had to have happened for me—and everybody—to come into this world. The women's movement, the immigration movement…whatever it may be. As you learn about these, it's hard not to be inspired. Our generation is a representation of all the great movements that have come before us. It's all about paying it forward… What I'm seeing is basically a movement to be your true self. There are no criteria as to what it takes to be involved, protected and cared for."
The teenage phenom and her ever-evolving list of projects and responsibilities is proof that while the iron is hot, the grind doesn't stop. And that goes double for her personal life these days. Although her acceptance to Harvard was an amazing accomplishment, Yara has been vocal about her decision to take a gap year, following in the footsteps of Malia Obama, who also took a gap year before starting at Harvard this fall. Yara's reasons?
Instead of working and juggling school like she has for most of her career, she just wants to focus on other interests outside of the classroom. So, she'll be hard at work on Grown-ish and her charity work with low-income youth. In a recent Instagram post, she said:
"I'm taking a gap year to dig deeper into all the things that bring me joy before I dive into my double concentration at college."
One thing is certainly for sure – Yara's been killing it, and she's reminding us exactly why. Staying in your lane and taking care of number one is the best way to live no matter what age you are. Who runs the world? Yup, still girls.
Check out Yara's interview with Seventeen in full here.
Featured image via Ga Fullner / Shutterstock.com
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."