Freeform's The Come Up Promises Inclusive Look Into NYC Life for Gen Z

Freeform is launching a new unscripted TV show, and they’ve just revealed the inclusive (aka queer-inclusive) cast!

The Come Up, which premieres next month and was previously referred to under the title Day to Night, is set to focus on “six young disruptors” from Gen Z in post-pandemic New York City. 

“The show follows the creative NYC underground, giving viewers an exclusive look into how the next generation of icons define themselves and how culture is created,” according to Freeform.

So let's meet the cast!

All bios courtesy of Freeform's press release.

Taofeek Abijako

At 24, Taofeek Abijako is the youngest designer to have ever shown at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) with his fashion line, Head of State. His last collection, “Homecoming,” received critical acclaim and has been picked up by SSENSE for luxury retail sales. Abijako is preparing for his NYFW 2022 collection, a continuation of his menswear and womenswear designs. In April, he was selected as a recipient of the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. In May, he was invited to dress two celebrities, Danai Gurira and Evan Mock, at the renowned Met Gala and made a splash with his stunning red carpet designs. Now branching out into costume design for feature films, Abijako’s career is taking exciting turns.

Fernando Casablancas

Brazilian-born Fernando Casablancas is on the cusp of becoming the modeling world’s next international star. In less than one year of his emergence on the modeling scene, he appeared in campaigns for top brands Balmain, Charlotte Tilbury, Wales Bonner and Chrome Hearts. During the fashion week season of fall 2021, Casablancas took to the catwalk for Balmain and Bottega Veneta and, most recently, he walked for cutting-edge designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Casablancas is breaking the mold as a non-binary talent by modeling both menswear and womenswear. The world quickly took notice, and he was invited to attend the 2022 amFAR Gala in Cannes, an internationally acclaimed event to raise money for AIDS awareness and research. Beyond modeling, Casablancas recently wrapped production on his first feature-length film and has been working on DJing and multimedia art projects.

Ben Hard

Coming from San Antonio, Texas, Ben Hard is quickly making New York his home. A rising performer, he is honing his skills as an actor, comedian and dancer. The stage is where he wants to be, and New York is the place to take chances. In spring 2022, he starred in Eastine Theater’s adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” did 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, taking street photography in New York and doing live videography and music videos for local musical artists.

Claude Shwartz

A Tribeca native, Claude Shwartz is a true New Yorker. She is a rising actress who has studied the practical aesthetics technique at David Mamet’s Atlantic Theater Company, the Meisner technique, and graduated from Tufts in 2020. Recently, Shwartz appeared in an off-off-broadway at the Tank in February 2022, directed by Alton Alburo. A lover of fashion, Shwartz worked as a model during New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2022, walking in the Batsheva show.

Ebon Trower

A budding entertainer on her way to becoming a multihyphenate in the public eye, Ebon Trower is a staple in Brooklyn nightlife as a sought-after party host and fixture of the rave circuit. She most recently threw a party for Pride 2022 and is a member of Nosferatu collective, known for their show-stopping Baroque Ball in summer 2021. For Trower, the well-being of the Trans community is paramount. As an active and crucial organizer of queer nightlife, she has recently participated in town hall panels to discuss club safety and accountability. Beyond nightlife, Trower’s modeling career is quickly gaining momentum as she models for the likes of Milk Makeup, Parade and Ganni.

Sophia Wilson

Sophia Wilson is a photography prodigy who has been behind the camera since age 13. She has shot campaigns for major brands like Vogue, Nike and Google and established publications like i-D, Vanity Fair and Nylon. Wilson shoots analog only and develops and prints all photos by hand in the color darkroom, a highly technical process that imbues her images with a signature look. Continuing to chart her own path, she deferred her senior year at NYU to focus full time on her artistic pursuits and career in true trailblazing Gen Z fashion. Wilson is committed to changing the face of working photographers by being front and center in rooms that young Black women traditionally have been kept from. She wants to see more people in the industry that “look like her,” and she’s starting with herself.

The Come Up premieres on Freeform September 13, with episodes to drop on Hulu the next day.

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