Young black stars you need to know

Chloe Bailey, 19, and Halle Bailey, 17, know the power of persistence (and social media!). The sisters, known by their stage name, Chloe x Halle, got their start posting cover songs on YouTube. Their rendition of Beyonce’s “Pretty Hurts” caught the attention of Queen Bey herself and the rest, as they say, is history. Bey signed them to her label, Parkwood Entertainment, in 2013 and the duo have since toured worldwide on the Formation Tour and released new music. Fans can now spot them on the Freeform spinoff “Grown-ish” with Yara Shahidi. “We pinch ourselves every day,” Chloe told Rolling Stone in 2017. “We’re just two young girls who like to create music from scratch in their living room.” Added Halle of label boss Beyonce, “We’re so grateful that we have a resource like her. She’s been through everything.”

There is nothing better than seeing a young actor excel and make a name for him or herself in Hollywood. Right on the cusp of stardom, these celebrities have it all: brains, beauty and talent! In celebration of Black History Month,we are taking a look at the top young black stars you need to know, starting with Yara Shahidi. Yara began her career when she was only 6 years old with guest appearances on “Scandal,” “Cold Case” and in the film “Imagine That.” Now 17, she has achieved mainstream recognition and accolades for her performance as Zoey Johnson on “Black-ish.” She’s so talented that she was given her own spin-off series, “Grown-ish,” which premiered in January 2018. In addition to her phenomenal acting skills, she’s also an advocate for racial and gender equality, a rising fashion star and a shameless bookworm. The teen announced she will be attending Harvard University in 2018.

Caleb McLaughlin has sung on Broadway, acted on one of the biggest Netflix shows ever, and danced on an acclaimed TV biopic — is there anything this 16 year old can’t do?! Caleb first came onto the scene when he was cast as a young Simba in “The Lion King” on Broadway. The New York native then had a stream of guest appearances on shows like “Law & Order: SVU” and “Shades of Blue” before hitting it big as Lucas Sinclair on “Stranger Things.” His performance earned him an NAACP Image Award, an ensemble cast SAG Award and a host of fans worldwide. Caleb most recently showed off his dancing and singing skills once again as a young Ricky Bell in the critically acclaimed “The New Edition Story.” We can’t wait to see what he does next!

Storm Reid is only 14 years old and has already acted alongside the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Brad Pitt and Sarah Paulson! The young teen got her start in Hollywood at age 10 when she was cast as Emily in the Academy Award-winning “12 Years a Slave.” Today, Storm is on the road to be a certified A-lister with her most recent leading role in 2018’s “A Wrinkle in Time.” When asked about her experience filming with Oprah, Reese and Mindy Kaling, the starlet said they grew incredibly close. “We’re tight. Like we’re a family. I feel like we’re a little bit closer in my head, in my imagination — like we’re best friends, we talk every day, texting,” she told Vulture. “No, but they’re just so great and I love them, and they love me. And every time we’re together, we feel the bond and the friendship and family. They’re all my mentors and they’re just so inspiring. To have them in my corner, to have them pour into me is absolutely incredible.”

You might not who JD McCrary is yet, but you will soon! The 10 year old created quite a buzz when he performed flawlessly at the 2018 Grammys with Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover). The twosome may have seemed like a random pairing, but Donald and JD are actually future co-stars: JD plays a young Simba in the upcoming “Lion King” live-action remake while Donald plays the older Simba. In 2018, JD is also set to play Kenny Payne on Tyler Perry’s new series, “The Paynes,” a spinoff of the popular show “House of Payne.” Definitely a future star in the making!

Marsai Martin is one accomplished 13 year old. The young Texan has been playing twin daughter Diane Johnson on ABC’s “Black-ish” since 2014, but most recently made headlines for executive producing and starring in her own film, the Universal comedy “Little,” which is based on her own idea. The story focuses on a woman who gets the chance to relive her carefree childhood after the pressures of adulthood overwhelm her. The movie’s script was penned by “Girls Trip” writer Tracy Oliver, so it’s guaranteed to be truly hilarious. Congrats, Marsai!

Lonnie Chavis is not even in double digits but is already making a name for himself in Hollywood! At the tender age of 9, Lonnie landed his first major role on NBC’s hit dramedy series “This Is Us.” He plays the 9-year-old version of Randall on the critically acclaimed show that tugs at your heartstrings. Lonnie was also recently cast as Trevor, the young son on Showtime’s “White Famous,” and as Young Cameron in the Disney feature film “Magic Camp.” When he’s not walking red carpets and working with Hollywood icons, Lonnie enjoys spending time with his parents and brothers at his home in Long Beach, California.

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Young black stars you need to know