The Cast of Freeform's 'The Come Up' Talk Representation in New Show

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These fierce young adults are creating their own destinies, and we love to see it.

The Come Up, a new reality series from Freeform, follows six young creatives in downtown New York as they pursue their dreams, love, and their own definitions of happiness. And it's so queer.

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The cast, comprised of a group of ambitious Gen Z New Yorkers, includes: Taofeek Abijako, Fernando Casablancas, Ben Hard, Claude Shwartz, Ebon Gore, and Sophia Wilson. From modeling to fashion design, and even acting and photography, this squad of friends are all following their unique passions.

"It is amazing that there is so much potential for people to see themselves in all of us. It's going to be really great for audiences," Hard told PRIDE.

The Come Up is already receiving praise for its diverse casting, as the show hopes many people can resonate with the different personalities on screen.

"I haven't seen a TV show that has the level of diversity that we do in our cast," Wilson added. "I feel like that's going to be really special for a lot of viewers out there who feel like they maybe haven't been seen on the big screen."

"There's a different castmate for everyone. I think my particular audience would be trans women, specifically Black trans women. There's not a lot of represenation when it comes to "T for T love," when it comes to trans women in general. Being on such a huge network (Freeform) and debuting again on Hulu the next day, I think that's amazing," Gore said.

"I'm glad to be representing trans girls. It's a really amazing experience and I'm glad I get to be a part of it and to be working with all these amazing people from such different backgrounds," Shwartz said.

While the show offers escapism and plenty of interesting stories, the cast even admitted to learning about themselves throughout the filming process.

"When I first started, I wanted to hide the fact that I was this Black kid from Nigeria. My accent was so strong, it was insane. I didn't want anyone to know what I sounded like. In a way, I wasn't owning my identity as a person. It's one of those things that made me realize it's not just me, it's about everyone. I've learned so much," Abijako said.

"To even be able to connect with one person that could see someone on screen, on TV... to be able to see someone that's like me, or all of us chasing our dreams... that is the most inspiring thing ever," Casablancas concluded.

The Come Up premieres Tuesday, September 13th on Freeform. Check out the trailer below!

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