Shahadi Wright Joseph is an American dancer, singer, and actor, best known for starring in the American film Us (2019) and web series Them (2021).
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Shahadi Wright Joseph was born on Friday, April 29, 2005 (age 16 years; as of 2021), and hails from Brooklyn, New York, United States. Her zodiac sign is Taurus.
Childhood photo of Shahadi Wright Joseph, from her first professional photoshoot
At just two years old, she started dancing at Pureelements: An Evolution in Dance, a Brooklyn-based dance studio founded by her father, Kevin Joseph, in 2006. Shahadi grew up learning various dance forms like classical ballet, hip hop, modern. Dance, jazz, and West African and Caribbean dance. During her childhood, she was an active member of the Asase Ya Cultural Arts Foundation, a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cultural performing arts.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 3″
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family and ethnicity
Shahadi’s father, Kevin Joseph, is the owner and operator of the dance studio Pure Elements: An Evolution in Dance. His grandmother, Sylvia Joseph, immigrated to the United States from Trinidad, an island near Venezuela. Shahadi inherited her melodious voice from her grandfather, who was an opera singer.
Shahadi Wright Joseph with her father
Her mother, Dinah Wright Joseph, is a professional dancer who studied at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Martha Graham School. Subsequently, for the next 12 years, Dina toured extensively around the world with the Forces of Nature Dance Theater Company. Following her tour and several television appearances, Dina became a dance teacher-cum-program manager at Purelements.
Shahadi Wright with her mother
His elder sister’s name is Sundari Wright Joseph. Like other members of her family, Sundari is also a professional dancer, who later took up swimming competitively.
Shahadi Wright Joseph with her sister
livelihood
Theater
Shahadi Wright Joseph entered the entertainment industry at the age of eight when she auditioned for the Broadway show ‘The Lion King’ (2014) and won the role of young Nala. The drama was based on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 1994 feature film of the same name. The story follows Simba, the lion son of Mufasa and Sarabi, who is destined to rule the Pride Lands as a king.
Shahadi Wright wore Young Nala for the Broadway show The Lion King (2014)
At the age of ten, she appeared in another film-to-Broadway production ‘School of Rock’, which was nominated for a Tony Award in 2016. She starred as a background dancer named Madison/Matthew, usually seen dancing near a drumset. In play.
Shahadi Wright Joseph in School of Rock (2016)
Television
In 2016, he appeared on the NBC special ‘Hairspray Live!’ In which she played the role of Little Inez Stubbs. Set in 1962 Baltimore, the film follows a teenager named Tracy whose dream comes true when she gets the opportunity to appear on a local TV program, ‘The Corny Collins Show’.
Hairspray Live! (2016)
In 2018, she appeared in the 1969 American educational children’s television series ‘Sesame Street’.
Sesame Street (1969)
music
In 2016, she released her debut album ‘Love for the Holidays’ on iTunes on Thanksgiving Day 2016, which consisted of three songs.
Shahadi Wright Joseph’s debut album Love for the Holidays (2016)
In 2019, she released her debut single “Skin I’m In”, which premiered exclusively through Billboard. Talking about his song in an interview with Billboard, he said,
‘Skin I’m In’ is an anthem to remind us all to love ourselves on our best and worst days…daily challenges are inevitable but when we choose to say, ‘I am enough’ It can be taken easily.
Shahadi Wright’s Skin I’m In (2019)
In 2020, he also sang and wrote the song “Wallpaper”, produced by IMMPAAC. His other music credits include the songs “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Danger” (Young Simba & Young Nala Interlude), featured in the film The Lion King (2019).
film
In 2019, she rose to fame with the American horror film ‘Us’, in which she played the role of Zora Wilson, the daughter of Adelaide Wilson (protagonist). The film is based on a family’s beach vacation that turns into chaos when their lookalikes appear and begin terrorizing them. In the film, Shahadi also plays Umbre, Zora Wilson’s sadistic red-jumpsuit-wearing lookalike.
Shahadi Wright Joseph in Us (2019)
Highly acclaimed, the film had the best opening for an original horror film in history, grossing $70.25 million in its opening weekend. In 2020, the Hollywood Critics Association honored Shahadi with the title of “Hollywood’s Next Generation” for her performance in ‘Us’. Her successful performance in the film earned her nominations for several awards such as the Saturn Awards (2019), Critics’ Choice Awards (2020), and Black Reel Awards, (2020).
voice over
She lent her voice to the character of young Nala, the lioness heroine and love interest of the central character, Simba, in the 2019 revival of the American musical drama film The Lion King.
OTT/Web Series
In 2021, she made her digital debut with the American horror anthology series ‘Them’, in which she played Ruby Lee Emory, the elder daughter of Lucky and Henry Emory. The series centers around a black family who move to an all-white neighborhood of Los Angeles, where their beautiful home slowly turns into the epicenter of evil forces.
Shahadi Wright Joseph in Them (2021)
Favorite
- Films: The Shining (1980), The Babadook (2014), Get Out (2017), Jigsaw (2017)
- Horror Movie Characters: Chucky, Annabelle
- Actress: Lupita Nyong’o
- Singer: Jorja Smith, Ariana Grande, Erykah Badu, Solange, Willow Smith
- Dance Style: Ballet, Modern and Western Caribbean Dance
- Professional Dancer: Misty Copeland
- Food: Macaroni Pie, Lasagna
- Fashion Icon: Billie Eilish
Facts/General Knowledge
- She is a craft enthusiast who once sold her homemade hats and scarves throughout the theater while starring in the Tony-nominated theatrical production ‘School of Rock’ (2016). While talking about his hobbies in an interview, he said,
I like knitting and I’m learning to play the ukulele.”
- He faced racial discrimination when he was accused of stealing while shooting for a project. Describing this incident in an interview, he said,
I faced discrimination on the sets of my first project, where I was accused of plagiarism. This was actually said as a joke, so it was more confusing to me until I understood the racial undertones involved.
Later, it was revealed that the accuser had lost the luggage, and as a result, the production dropped her from the project.
- In an interview with PopSugar, she revealed that she spent her early adolescence getting into mischief with her crushes. He said,
At 13, I spent most of my free time pranking boys I had crushes on and spoofing their MySpace page with a series of bathroom mirror selfies.”
- Referring to his talks while shooting on the set, he said,
I must have fresh fruit on set.”
- She learned Spanish in eighth grade.
- He was included in the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Hollywood and entertainment.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn