#BlackGirlMagic: Yara Shahidi signs overall deal with ABC, launches production company

Yara Shahidi has signed an overall deal with ABC Studios and launched her own production company with her mother, Keri Shahidi. Well, isn’t that some #BlackGirlMagic right here.

Yara is already doing ‘big girl stuff’ with ABC studios on her two shows Black-ish and its spinoff collaboration with Freeform, Grown-ish where she is the lead character and producer. Her new deal will be “to develop and produce scripted and alternative television projects for cable, streaming and broadcast.”

ABC Studios President Jonnie Davis said in a 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.

“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.”

This mother-daughter duo is quite inseparable. Keri also signed a deal with ABC and the projects emanating from their deal will be launched by their production company, 7^th Sun.

According to Deadline, 7^th Sun is inspired to continue elevating underrepresented voices to “pursue projects that touch upon themes of history, heritage, culture, and joy.” Lajoie St. George has been signed on as lead developer for 7^th Sun. The veteran executive brings on board more than 10 years’ experience from NBC. He is also passionate about championing accurate and reflective media.

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with my home family, ABC Studios, in this exciting next chapter, alongside my family,” Yara said in a statement. “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.”

Kenya Barris, Black-ish and Grown-ish creator, was full of praises for Yara. He said, “She is a force! 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.”

The Shahidis have so far not disappointed us and we know that with Yara’s passion for politics and the fight for equal representation for more women filmmakers in Hollywood, her production company 7th Sun will bring to our screens a whole lot of #BlackGirlMagic and we can’t wait!