Black-ish star Yara Shahidi has described comments made by Donald Trump as “laughable” after he branded the sitcom’s title racist at the “highest level”.
President Trump criticised the ABC drama on Twitter in October 2014 before he won the 2016 US presidential election.
However, American actress and activist Shahidi, 19, said his comments had only driven her to work harder.
How is ABC Television allowed to have a show entitled "Blackish"? Can you imagine the furor of a show, "Whiteish"! Racism at highest level?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2014
He said at the time: “How is ABC Television allowed to have a show entitled “Blackish”? Can you imagine the furor of a show, “Whiteish”! Racism at highest level?”
Shahidi appeared as eldest daughter Zoey Johnson in the prime-time show and starred in spin-off Grown-ish.
She told Cosmopolitan Mr Trump’s comments seemed “pretty surreal” given he was now president.
She said: “That tweet was just laughable. But to see, years later, that it came from a man who’s now the president is pretty surreal.
“You do get angry, but then you get motivated.”
Shahidi also defended millennials against accusations that they are lazy and self-obsessed.
“I can personally attest to the passion, interests and curiosity that so many of my peers have that motivate them on a regular basis,” she said.
“We assume a lot about a person by their digital presence. But appreciating yourself and your outfit does not negate the fact that you care about the world around you.”
The full interview appears in the June 2019 issue of Cosmopolitan, available from May 2.