Zakiya Young
Zakiya Young | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 24, 1979 Pennsylvania |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2012–present |
Zakiya Young is an American actress. She is best known for playing Corey Bryant in the drama series Pretty Little Liars and for being the first black women to play Supermans love interest Lois Lane.
Early life
Young grew up in Downingtown, Pennsylvania to singer Sidney Young and Barnia Young. She was influenced to become a performer at a young age by her older sister Jamilia who was a talented singer. Young sang in her church choir while attending Downingtown High School. She was a cheerleader in a band and took part in high school productions including West Side Story and Evita. She attended the University of Pittsburgh originally trying to become a doctor but changed her mind and ended up graduating with a BA in communications.[1]
Career
In 2010 Young made history when she became the first black woman ever to play Lois Lane in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman at the Dallas Theater Center.[2] She played Sally in the Broadway musical The Lightning Thief at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.[3] She made a one off appearance as Layla in the comedy drama series Orange Is the New Black.[4] Her biggest on screen role of her career so far came playing Corey Bryant in the drama series Pretty Little Liars. She was in the same classroom as Sara Shepard, the writer of the Pretty Little Liars book series.[5]
Personal life
Outside of acting she has gained a large following on her YouTube podcast series called Suburban Black Girl where she discusses various topics such as politics, social justice, current events, dating and religion. From this she created her own show which she performed at the Ojai Playwrights Conference New Works Festival and the La Jolla Playhouse DNA New Works Festival.[6]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | This American Life: One Night Only at BAM | Other Nurse | |
| 2017 | Disney Royals | Ursula | |
| 2017 | The Vanishing of Sidney Hall | Reporter 2 | |
| 2017 | Room Enough | Jackie | Short |
| 2019 | Cooking Show | Sound Girl | |
| 2021 | Authenticity: The Musical | Denise | |
| 2026 | Will | Farah Stanton | Short |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Made in Jersey | Kennedy | Episode; Wingman |
| 2010-2014 | Submissions Only | Erica Houston | 12 episodes |
| 2015 | Orange Is the New Black | Layla | Episode; Trust No Bitch |
| 2016 | Mozart in the Jungle | Administrative Assistant | Episode; You're the Best or You F'ing Suck |
| 2017 | Iron Fist | Nurse Smith | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Little Demon | Kooky Mom, Nun | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Diarra from Detroit | Rolexxx | Episode; Fishbones |
| 2022-2024 | Pretty Little Liars | Corey Bryant | 10 episodes |
References
- ↑ "Downingtown grad finds her passion". mainlinemedianews.com. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Tri Delta Stars in Entertainment: Zakiya Young". tridelta.org. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Eric Meyers, Jordan Stanley, Zakiya Young Star in Free Off-Broadway Musical The Lightning Thief, Opening Tonight". Playbill. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Five Friday Questions with Zakiya Young". encorespotlight.com. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ "'Don't dim your light': Pitt alumna acts in 'Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin'". pittnews.com. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ "ZAKIYA YOUNG". officialzakiyayoung.com. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
External links
- Zakiya Young at IMDb