Freeform/Mitch Haaseth(LOS ANGELES) — Yara Shahidi is showing off her grown-ish side on the cover of Essence‘s April 2018 issue.
In the issue, Shahidi discusses her character, Zoey, and how she stacks up to the collegiate freshman.
“Moving into grown-ish, I feel like Yara and Zoey have many more similarities than they had in black-ish — just because you see her more unsure of herself and more awkward,” she said. “There are those moments in which I was able to relate to her more on a personal level because she isn’t the confident super-fabulous person all the time.”
Through Zoey, Shahidi gets to do things that she hasn’t yet experienced herself — like dating.
“There are certain things that Zoey does that Yara has never considered doing — never entered my base reality,” she explained. “There are certain moments in which Zoey does a lot of growing up for me and a lot of experimentation for me. Which means by the time I go to college all the experimenting is done. I’ve already done it on set, and they’ve called cut.”
That includes falling in love and having her heart broken, as Zoey did earlier this season. Shahidi recalled shooting a scene with her character’s love interest on the show.
“I’d [never] slow-danced with anyone before,” she said laughing. “Like, I’d never been this close to another human being — other than my mother — in my life.”
After taking a gap year, Shahidi will follow in her character’s footsteps and head off to college. She was accepted to Harvard University last year.
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