The season finale of NBC’s hit show “Good Girls” just aired, and actress Lidya Jewett is the show’s breakout star. Lidya stars as ‘Sara Hill,’ the daughter of Ruby, played by Rhetta. Lidya’s character is suffering from a terminal illness. So her mom decides to take drastic measures to gather the money to afford treatment. Lidya is no stranger to movies as well. She played ‘Young Nakia’ in Black Panther and ‘Young Katherine Coleman’ in Hidden Figures. YEM spoke with Lidya about her impressive career.

Young Entertainment Mag: How did you first get involved in acting?
Lidya Jewett: I actually started in print modeling and commercials in Miami and Orlando area when I was about 6 or 7.  Production people on the sets told my mom she needed to direct me to “on camera” things and that is just sort of where it began.

YEM: You star on the NBC show “Good Girls.” What is it like to be a part of the show?
Lidya: Our Good Girls family is so great.  Everyone is super respectful of each other and we have a great time. I love how the writers will even ask what kinds of things I am interested in, so they can make that part of Sara’s character.

YEM: Your character is suffering from a terminal illness. Is that an acting challenge for you?
Lidya: In season 1, Sara’s health was pretty bad and led to her mom doing some shady stuff.  Playing a sick child was interesting. Being hooked up to an oxygen tank and all the tubes and things in the hospital made me think of the kids in the real world who have to live with that every day and may not have a transplant waiting for them.

YEM: So you recently starred in The Darkest Minds with Amandla Stenberg. What was it like to work with her?
Lidya: Well I played “young Ruby” so we didn’t really have scenes together, but Amandla was always right there with words of encouragement when she saw me on set or at base camp.  I just love her.

YEM: You have played a younger version of Lupita Nyong’o in Black Panther. Were you a fan of Lupita or of the Marvel universe? Did you get to meet Lupita?
Lidya: Booking the role of young Nakia was so exciting.  It was great of Ryan Coogler to put her scene in the bonus feature version.  I am a huge fan of Lupita. Queen of Katwe is probably my favorite of hers. But my parents did let me watch selected parts of Twelve Years a Slave also.

She is amazing.  She and Chadwick stopped and said hello to me and the actor who played young T’Chala when we were in the catacombs set.  It was super quick as we were in the middle of shooting the pilot of Good Girls, but my team is amazing and made it happen with Marvel’s casting. So I am super fortunate!

YEM: Finally, do you have other projects in the works?
Lidya: Hmmm.. none that I can talk about yet. I did shoot an episode of Grey’s Anatomy this season that just aired.  That was amazing as I am a huge fan of the show. To work opposite of those actors was awesome.  I am also doing some voice work which I love and am currently doing some off camera singing for a show.