Actress Yara Shahidi is set to play Tinkerbell in Disney’s “Peter Pan and Wendy,” an updated live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1953 animated film.
Director David Lowery [Petes Dragon 2016] is on board to direct and co-wrote the script with Toby Halbrooks. Jim Whitaker is producing. Other cast members include Jude Law as Captain Hook, with Alexander Molony as Peter Pan and newcomer Ever Anderson as Wendy.
Shahidi is best known for her starring role on ABC’s “Black-ish,” as well as being a star and producer of Freeform’s “Grown-ish.” The actor and activist recently signed an overall deal with ABC Studios. On the film side, Shahidi recently led the YA drama “The Sun Is Also a Star.”
Shahidi will be the first Black woman to take on the role on screen. The decision follows recent moves by Disney to diversify their casting. Notably, Shahidi’s “Grown-ish” co-star Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel in the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” and Niles Fitch was cast as the studio’s first live-action Black prince in “Secret Society of Second-Born Royals” on Disney Plus.