FREEFORM PRESENTS ECLECTIC CAST OF RISING ICONS IN NEW GUITARLESS SERIES “THE COME UP” (FKA “Day to Night”)
The cast includes Taofeek Abijako, Fernando Casablancas, Ben Hard, Claude Shwartz, Ebon Trower and Sophia Wilson
‘The Come Up’ will premiere on Freeform on Tuesday, September 13, the following day on Hulu
*Free form/Sophie Hur
Freeform announced new unscripted series “The Come Up” (aka “Day to Night”) as one of three original nonfiction series the brand is premiering this year, all aimed at the network’s young adult audience.
“The Come Up” is a look at the wildest feelings and vibrant moments that define coming of age in a post-pandemic New York. The series follows six young disruptors as they emerge from downtown New York to follow their dreams and pursue love and art on their own terms. The show follows New York’s creative underground, giving viewers an exclusive look at how the next generation of icons are defined and culture is created.
The cast is made up of a group of ambitious, action-oriented, and diverse Gen Z New Yorkers whose careers are on the rise, including Taofeek Abijako, Fernando Casablancas, Ben Hard, Claude Shwartz, Ebon Trower and Sophia Wilson. Each person is thriving in their respective fields: modeling, fashion design, photography, acting, and organizing nightlife. Their biographies are below:
· Taofeek (He/Him) – At 24, he is the youngest designer ever to show at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) with his fashion line, Head of State. Earlier this year, he was invited to dress two celebrities, Danai Gurira and Evan Mock, at the renowned Met Gala, and his career is taking exciting turns as he is now branching out into costume design for feature films Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Taofeek immigrated to Albany, New York at age 11 after his father, also a fashion designer, won the US visa lottery. Taking nothing for granted, Taofeek launched her first pieces from her bedroom as a high school student, deferred all fashion school acceptances, and earned a spot on the NYFW stage and in the pages of Vogue. For Taofeek, fashion is a vehicle to support his community. In addition to her fashion collections, she has spearheaded several initiatives to build schools in Nigeria or support local vendors in Albany. Taofeek is poised to become the next household name in fashion and beyond.
· Fernando (Him/Them) – Fernando Casablancas, born in Brazil, is on the verge of becoming the next international star in the modeling world. In less than a year of her appearance on the modeling scene, she appeared in campaigns for top brands Balmain, Charlotte Tilbury, Wales Bonner and Chrome Hearts. During the Fall 2021 fashion week season, Fernando walked the runway for Balmain and Bottega Veneta, and most recently walked for avant-garde designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Fernando is breaking the mold as a non-binary talent modeling both menswear and womenswear. The world quickly took notice and he was invited to the 2022 amFAR Gala in Cannes, an internationally acclaimed event to raise money for AIDS awareness and research. Beyond modeling, Fernando recently finished production on his first feature film and has been working on multimedia art and DJ projects.
· Ben (He/Him) – Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Ben is quickly making New York his home. A performer on the rise, he is honing his skills as an actor, comedian and dancer. The stage is where it wants to be, and New York is the place to take risks. In the spring of 2022, he starred in the Eastine Theatre’s adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac”, made his first stand-up comedy performance at The Broadway Comedy Club, and has acted in short films by friends. Ben can also be found behind the camera, shooting street photography in New York and making live and music videos for local music artists.
· Claude (Ella/Her) – A native of Tribeca, Claude is a true New Yorker. She is an up-and-coming actress who studied practical aesthetic technique at David Mamet’s Atlantic Theater Company, the Meisner Technique, and graduated from Tufts in 2020. Claude recently appeared in an Off-Broadway production of Tank in February 2022, directed by Alton Alburo. . A fashionista and downtown fixture, Claude walked for Batsheva at NYFW Spring/Summer 2022.
· Ebon (Ella/Ella) – An up-and-coming entertainer on her way to becoming a multi-hyphenate in the public eye, she’s a staple of Brooklyn nightlife as a sought-after party hostess and circuit fixture radish He recently organized a party for Pride 2022 and is a member of the collective Nosferatu, known for their spectacular Baroque Ball in the summer of 2021. For Ebon, the well-being of the Trans community is paramount. As an active and crucial organizer of queer nightlife, she has recently participated in city hall panels to discuss club safety and responsibility. Beyond nightlife, Ebon’s modeling career is quickly gaining momentum as she models for the likes of Milk Makeup, Parade and Ganni.
· Sophia (Ella/Her): a photography prodigy who has been behind the camera since she was 13. He has done campaigns for big brands like Google, Nike, Peloton, Converse, Fenty, Instagram and Pepsi and established publications like Vogue, Elle, New. York Magazine, iD, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, Nylon and more. Sophia shoots only analog and develops and prints all photos by hand in the color darkroom, a highly technical process that gives her images a distinctive look. Continuing to forge her own path, Sophia deferred her senior year at NYU to focus full-time on her artistic pursuits and her career as a true Gen Z trailblazer. Sophia is committed to changing the face of of photographers who work by putting themselves front and center in rooms from which young black women have traditionally been kept. She is also pioneering work in the NFT space, including creating the first NFT for Instagram.
“These six creatives emanate from downtown with a vibrancy and magnetism that’s contagious,” said Tara Duncan, president of Freeform and Onyx Collective. “They’re pursuing love and art on their own terms, redefining what success means, and I’m so excited for our audience to have a front-row seat to it all.”
“The Come Up” is produced by Cousins. Megan Sanchez-Warner (“The Real Housewives of Orange County,” “Love and Hip Hop Hollywood”) serves as showrunner, and Jessica Chermayeff, Ana Veselic and Anne Alexander are executive producers. Chermayeff and Veselic also serve as series directors.
“The Come Up” premieres on Freeform on Tuesday, September 13, with the first four episodes airing back to back. From here on, two episodes will be broadcast every week. All episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the day after they air.
About Freeform
Freeform’s distinct brand of coming-of-age programming helps position it as the #1 cable network in entertainment among adults, women and men 18-34 in the 2021/2022 TV season through now Connecting with audiences with its bold original programming and immersive social engagement, Freeform channels the strength and drive of its young adult audience in their quest for progress with authentic and innovative original series such as “grown- ish” Emmy(R) nominee. Good Trouble,” “Motherland: Fort Salem,” “Single Drunk Female,” “Everything’s Trash” and “Cruel Summer,” which was the #1 new cable drama of 2021 among women 18-34. The Last year, Freeform aired four of the 15 original scripted cable series among women 18-34, more than any other network, with “grownish” ranking as the No. 1 live-action comedy series in the ‘year by cable in the demo.
