For generations, Black women in Hollywood have labored both in front of and behind the camera to widen the lane for Black talent. They've fought to make sure that future generations would have a path where they could soar. Though there is much more work to be done, we are finally beginning to see the fruits of that labor as a new crop of mega-talent faces rise and take their place on the big and small screens. Newcomer Akira Akbar is ready to take center stage. Though the dimple-faced actress has had some small appearances on shows like Grey's Anatomy and Criminal Minds and she’s modeled for everyone from Nike to Levi’s, Akbar made a huge splash recently when she appeared on NBC’s acclaimed series, This Is Us as Young Beth.
In the Season 3 episode entitled "Our Little Island Girl" — we finally learned more about Beth Pearson’s (Susan Kelechi Watson) backstory, and we got to meet her as a child and as a teenager. The episode, which also starred the incomparable Phylicia Rashad as Beth’s mom Carol and Rachel Hilson as Teen Beth, addressed the trope of the “Strong Black Woman” and is still being discussed and analyzed more than a week later. With such a breathtaking performance and her upcoming role in Marvel’s Captain Marvel, Shadow and Act sat down to chat with Akbar about stepping into the spotlight.
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