Social Media Star Tapped for New Live-Action Series at Disney Channel and Disney+

A popular social media star is ready to make the jump from her mobile platforms with her own new series on Disney Channel and Disney+.

What's Happening:

• A new report from Deadline has shown that a live-action scripted series based on TikTok star Lala Sadii is in development for Disney Channel and Disney+.
• Sadii, The controversial social media personality, is set to star in the series and executive produce the series, currently with the title LALA IRL.
• The series will come from Good Trouble co-creator Peter Paige and Endemol Shine North America.
• LALA IRL will be inspired by the true story of TikTok phenom, La La Sadii, as she gives us a behind-the-screens" look at the girl whose dreams went supernova. The official logline for the new show reads, "Before she became a social media superstar, Lala Sadii was just a girl trying to fit in like everyone else. But now, as millions hang on her every post, she’s got plenty to navigate: jealous classmates, intrigued friends who’d love just a little of her clout, concerned siblings, and strict parents who are absolutely going to lose their minds if they find out what she’s been up to."
• Sadii became known around 2020 with her posts and comedy skits about adolescent life and vlogs. She moved into more dramatic storytelling, and has released musical tracks, like "Bubble," "The One," and a number of others.
• Paige serves as writer, executive producer and director. Sadii serves as executive producer along with Lauren Gellert and Billy Mann.Production timelines and additional details are unknown at this time.

A Bit of a Controversy:

• Lala Sadii rose to prominence through her TikTok short comedy skits, as well as her relationship-themed storylines and vlogs, amassing millions of followers - especially among teenage audiences.
• However, her online career has been proven to be quite polarizing, with many criticisms about her authenticity and clickbait tactics.
• One belief is that her relationship stories and dramatic life events are scripted, or at the very least, heavily exaggerated for the engagement. This also applies to the serialization of her storylines that feature cliffhangers and big reveals drawn out over multiple posts in an episodic and seemingly scripted manner.
• The star herself has acknowledged that much of her content is entertainment, not necessarily a documentation of her life - but the debate is over whether or not that distinction is clear to her viewers.
• This is especially concerning for parents, as her audience is largely a younger one, and those storylines about relationships (which also include jealousy, revenge, and exaggerated romantic tropes) could influence younger viewers who interpret them as real and not as fictional or for entertainment.
• At the same time, these reasons are exactly why many fans do enjoy her videos, seeing them as short-form web series more than a usual "day in the life" style vlog.