From Skits to Screen, Yasmine Sahid Steps Into the Spotlight with Overcompensating
Yasmine Sahid has spent the last few years bringing dozens of characters to life across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, but her newest role in Prime Video’s Overcompensating marks her first time stepping into a scripted TV series. Created by Benito Skinner, the show follows a closeted former football player navigating identity, friendship, and freshman-year chaos. Yasmine plays Courtney, a character she says wasn’t far from who she was when she was younger. She used the opportunity to separate herself from her usual online personas and instead create someone fresh, specific, and grounded in that world.
The show’s early 2010s college setting felt instantly familiar to her. She connected to the nostalgia and awkwardness of that era, describing it as a time many people can relate to whether they’re queer or not. What made the story hit even harder for her was the way it wove queerness into that classic coming-of-age space. The extra layer of exploring your sexuality while trying to figure out who you are gave the show a deeper emotional core that stood out from typical college comedies.
Outside of acting, Yasmine is also working on her fourth music release, this time her first ballad. She’s covering “Old Devil Moon,” a jazz standard she’s always loved. While most of her past music has been lighthearted, this project came from a desire to try something new and explore a different side of herself both personally and creatively. She said the decision was less about strategy and more about challenging herself creatively at a time when she felt bored and ready for something different.
Juggling acting, music, hosting, and content creation isn’t easy but she’s found ways to manage it by being selective with how she spends her time. Dedicating specific days to specific projects has helped her stay grounded and avoid burnout. She’s also learned how to carve out time for herself, knowing how easy it is to get overwhelmed when you’re building your own path in the entertainment industry.
Her approach to brand collaborations reflects that same intentionality. Yasmine has worked with major companies like LEGO, Hasbro, and TIDE and says her best partnerships have come from brands that value her creative freedom and are easy to collaborate with. For her it’s about the people behind the brand as much as the product itself. When there’s trust and respect the content flows better and it shows.
While she doesn’t call herself an activist, Yasmine still uses her platform to highlight causes she cares about like land conservation and Girls Make Beats. She believes in taking action when needed whether that’s sharing information, donating to important efforts, or supporting small businesses in her community. For her it’s about being present and contributing in ways that feel real and helpful without needing to claim a title.
You’ve played hundreds of characters on TikTok, what was it like stepping into a scripted role on Overcompensating? Did any of your internet personas sneak into your performance? I really wanted to use this experience to separate myself from my online characters. It’s more fun to create different personalities and tropes for my characters as an actor rather than relying on the ones that I’m used to. Courtney was also not too different from my personality when I was younger, so it wasn’t too hard to create her personality.
Benito Skinner’s comedy taps into queer and nostalgic storytelling. What drew you to Overcompensating, and how did you connect to that world? The world is so similar to how I grew up in the 2010’s. I think people who went to college during that era can relate to the show whether they are queer or not. A lot of people can watch the show and reminisce on the cringiness of being a freshman in college and figuring things out. But the queerness within Overcompensating – inspired by Benny’s own life – really made the storyline more personal and real. That extra element of navigating your sexuality on top of figuring out your place in life is what makes the show so unique.
You’re working on your fourth music release, and your first ballad, a cover of Old Devil Moon. Why that song, and what does it mean to you? The song was a challenge for me to try something new. I typically make lighthearted music but wanted to tap into a different side of myself personally and musically. I’ve always loved jazz music, and ‘Old Devil Moon’ is my favorite standard. I wish I had a deeper answer to this because honestly, I did it mostly because I was bored.
You’ve gone from viral content to the Oscars red carpet. How do you stay creatively grounded while juggling acting, music, hosting, and more? I’ve learned to really carve time for myself. It’s easy to get overwhelmed especially when you’re trying to create your own path in this industry. But by being very selective of where I spend my time and dedicating certain days to specific tasks, it helped me a lot with staying both focused and motivated.
You’ve worked with brands like LEGO, Hasbro, and TIDE, what’s your approach to keeping brand collaborations authentic and still very Yasmine? Most of the time it’s based on the teams that are associated with the brands. I’m more excited and inspired to create content for a brand when they are more open to my creative freedom and, in general, are easy to get along with. I think sometimes brands overlook the fact that connecting with creators on a personal level is what develops a successful partnership.
You’re also an outspoken activist supporting land conservation and Girls Make Beats. How do you use your platform to move the needle on causes you care about? I don’t ever really claim myself as an activist because I believe that title carries a lot of responsibility and should be reserved for those who really dedicate their lives to the causes they believe in. But, I am outspoken and like to use my platform to highlight serious topics when I need to. I also try to do more with action and try to find helpful websites and causes to donate to, as well as do my best to support the local community. I think that’s something that helps cause the ripple effect in seeing change. Just being there for my neighbors and small businesses who are trying to survive.
Michael D. Monroe
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Contrast Magazine. michael@contrastmag.us
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