There's no guarantee, and there's no proper path to follow that will directly lead you to where you want to go, but stick with it. If you know in your bones that this is what you were put on this earth to do, and the world would be a darker place without you pursuing your dreams, then keep at it.
I want to be able to give a positive image for people to look up to.
We are not all the same. If you care that much, if you're that invested in us as artists and the changes that we're trying to make and the work that we're putting out there, then at least give us the same decency and respect to know that I am not Yara Shahidi and never will I be.
I grew up saying, 'I want to be famous,' but that was just the words that you used. As I got older, I understood that what I really meant was, 'I want to be successful.'
I know that I'm a role model for a lot of people, and I'd like to be. I know that there are people who probably don't agree with how I think or how I see myself and my place in this world. That's OK.
Sometimes people can be wary of standing up... but I don't have a problem doing that.
I hope I give a good performance; I hope it's enjoyable. If I'm a villain and you hate me, that means I'm doing my job. But I'm not the one to stand for anybody to call me out of my name for any reason.
It's tough being a teenager, man!
I love going to karaoke with friends if I'm having a really tough time.
Cooking puts me at ease; it gives me control over what's happening, and I know that the finished product is gonna be good, so I'm gonna be satisfied. That's kind of how I keep myself grounded.
I'm very hard on myself as an artist to begin with, so I personally don't even think I have the proper chops to sell a record, but people think differently.
I've never had the passion of wanting to be the next Monica or Beyonce or anything like that.
Everybody wants a seat at the table, but nobody wants to give up space.
I definitely stood out when I was in high school.
Usually, when people are asked, 'Would you ever do high school again?' a good 99 percent of them say, 'Oh God, no. I would never do that again.' I would absolutely go back to high school.
I'm not moving to L.A.! That's not happening unless I have to.
Society is so quick to encourage women to see each other as competition, but I think it's important we celebrate and embrace the pieces of our identity we share with others.
My longest relationship with my first boyfriend was eight and a half years. We broke up a handful of times over those years, but he was my first love, I was his, and we were each other's firsts.
I didn't really feel like I knew who I was until I was 24.
I was just this little theater geek. I joined the drama program my freshman year. I read the morning announcements my sophomore year. I didn't have to eat in the cafeteria with everyone else because my drama teacher was cool. Everybody knew who I was, and that's all I ever wanted as a theater kid.
