Now more than ever, adult Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and Cross Cultural Kids (CCKs) are making their presence known in entertainment.
Whether they’re actively fighting for representation or looking to create more space for others, TCKs and CCKs are taking the entertainment world by storm. These four actors openly discuss their experiences growing up between cultures and are fighting to create a more representative world for the next generation of TCKs and CCKs.
Mena Massoud
“Aladdin” leading actor Mena Massoud has lived between cultures from a young age. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Massoud grew up bridging the gap between Egyptian culture and Canadian culture.
In 2019, Massoud founded the Ethnically Diverse Artists Foundation with the intention to help other young artists of color break into the industry and increase representation in the entertainment industry.
Yara Shahidi
Yara Shahidi, star of ABC’s “Black-ish” and Freeform’s “Grown-ish,” is a prominent CCK in the U.S. entertainment industry. Born in Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A. to an African-American mother and an Iranian father, Shahidi has been actively involved in social justice and political activism throughout her public career.
Rami Malek
Oscar-award winning actor Rami Malek grew up balancing U.S. culture with his parents’ native Egyptian culture. Malek has spoken openly about his experiences growing up between cultures, including his decision to turn down any roles that portray negative stereotypes of Middle Eastern cultures.
Malek is the first actor of Egyptian heritage to win the coveted Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Camila Mendes
“Riverdale’s” Camila Mendes may have been born and raised in Plantation, Fla., U.S.A. but her parents and family are Latinx.
Mendes has spoken at length about her Brazilian heritage and the ways in which she tries to connect with that identity while living and working in the United States.
Mendes continues to seek out projects and roles that support Latinx representation in the mainstream media.
These actors are standing up for representation in their work and are using their platforms to discuss the issues that TCKs face every day. With this group leading the way, increasing representation in entertainment and media feels inevitable.
