Shahadi Wright Joseph

Shahadi Wright Joseph (born April 29, 2005) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her starring role in Jordan Peele's horror film Us, the voice for Young Nala in Jon Favreau's musical film The Lion King (2019), as Ruby Lee Emory in the Amazon Prime original series Them (TV series) and Holiday Anders in the podcast, "Six Minutes".

Early life Joseph was born in Brooklyn, New York. She has been dancing since the age of two. She once auditioned for a school play in third grade using Lupita Nyong'o's Academy Award acceptance speech.

Career Joseph's first major acting role came when she was cast as young Nala in the Broadway musical adaptation The Lion King, at nine years old. Joseph appeared as Madison, an original cast member in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical adaptation School of Rock. In 2016, she appeared as Little Inez Stubbs in the NBC musical television special Hairspray Live!, which earned positive reviews.

In November 2017, it was announced Joseph would reprise her role as young Nala in the 2019 remake of The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau. 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. The film earned critical acclaim and was a box office success. Her performance earned her numerous award nominations, including for a Saturn Award and a Critics' Choice Movie Award.

Joseph had a starring role as Ruby Lee Emory in the Amazon Prime Video horror drama series Them. The series was released in April 2021, to generally positive reviews.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2019 Us Zora Wilson / Umbrae see awards 2019 The Lion King Young Nala (voice)

Television Year Title Role Notes 2016 Hairspray Live! Little Inez Stubbs Television special 2021, 2024 Them Ruby Lee Emory 11 episodes

Awards and nominations + Solo Awards for Shahadi Wright Joseph Year Award Category Work Result Ref Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actor Us Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Youth Performance Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress Breakthrough Performance - Female Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Young Actor/Actress Music City Film Critics Association Best Young Actress NAACP Image Awards Breakthrough Role - Motion Picture Online Film & Television Association Best Youth Performance

+ Other Awards for Shahadi Wright Joseph Year Award Category Work Result Ref Hollywood Critics Association Next Generation of Hollywood Herself