Shahadi Wright Joseph
Shahadi Wright Joseph | |
|---|---|
 Shahadi Wright Joseph in 2016 | |
| Born | April 29, 2005 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, dancer |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Known for | Us, The Lion King |
Shahadi Wright Joseph (born April 30, 2005)[1] is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her role in the 2019 Jordan Peele horror film Us and as the voice for Young Nala in the 2019 The Lion King remake.[1][2]
Career
Joseph has been dancing since age two.[3] She once auditioned for a school play in third grade using Lupita Nyong'o's Oscar acceptance speech.[4]
Her first major acting role came when she was cast as young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway when she was nine years old.[3][5] Joseph was an original cast member for Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock. She also performed in Hairspray Live! in 2016 as Inez Stubbs.[1]
On November 1, 2017, Joseph was chosen to reprise her role as young Nala in the 2019 remake of the original film The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau.[6] She chose to work on the film because she sees the character as a role model who inspires young girls.[7] Upon learning that Beyoncé would be voicing grown-up Nala, Joseph stated that she was motivated to work harder and consider how Beyoncé would approach the role.[7]
Joseph read for the dual role of Zora and Umbrae in the horror film Us (2019) three times before being offered the part.[8]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Hairspray Live! | Little Inez Stubbs | |
| 2019 | Us | Zora Wilson / Umbrae | Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Role in a Motion Picture[9] |
| 2019 | The Lion King | Young Nala (voice) |
References
- ^ a b c "Shahadi Wright Joseph Talks 'Us' Film, Lion King Live Action". Vibe. 2019-03-28. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ Santi, Christina (2019-03-25). "'Us' Star Shahadi Wright Joseph on Representation & Black Girl Magic". EBONY. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ a b "Meet Shahadi Wright Joseph, the breakout horror warrior in Jordan Peele's 'Us'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ "'Us' Stars Shahadi Wright Joseph and Lupita Nyong'o Don't Scare Easily, Anymore". Interview Magazine. 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ "Internet Broadway Database: The Lion King - Replacements". IBDB. Retrieved 2019-07-12.
- ^ "Meet Shahadi Wright Joseph, the breakout horror warrior in Jordan Peele's 'Us'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ a b "What To Expect From The Characters In The Upcoming 'The Lion King' Adaptation - Entertainment Weekly". Entertainment Weekly/YouTube. April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Kelley, Sonaiya. "'Us' kids Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex on playing doppelgangers for Jordan Peele". latimes.com. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
- ^ "The Nominees | NAACP Image Awards". Retrieved 2020-04-24.
External links
 | This article about an American actor is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |