Black hair has become a highly political item that garners media attention consistently. For years, there have been discussions around Black hair representation, and although Hollywood is taking continuous steps toward diversity and inclusion, it just can’t seem to get Black hair right. Here are ten celebrities who have discussed Hollywood’s lack of hair diversity.
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union has never been one to shy away from voicing her opinion. In an essay for Glamour shared that she felt that many of the hairstylists on her sets were not qualified to do her hair.
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Gabourey Sidibe
In 2019, Gabourey Sidibe tweeted that she takes a more strategic approach when it comes to her on-screen roles.
If they don’t have the budget to hire a black hairstylist for me, or won’t, I just get the director to agree that my character should have box braids or senegalese twist.
— Gabby Sidibe (@GabbySidibe) March 11, 2019
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Jurnee Smollett-Bell
When Jurnee Smollett-Ball was filming “Birds of Prey,” she used it as an opportunity to push for inclusivity by asking for a Black hairstylist.
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Vanessa Williams
On an episode of “My Colorful Nana,” Vanessa Williams shared that she has used the same hairstylist for about 20 years because she needs to work with a stylist who understands Black hair, heat damage and all of the other factors that particularly affect Black hair.
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Tia Mowry-Hardrict
Tia Mowry-Hardict has also been among celebrities who have spoken out about the struggles that Black celebrities experience in the industry and the ways they have fight to have black hairdressers on set.
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Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish once shared with AP News that she had to leave a movie set in tears because there wasn’t anyone who could do her hair properly.
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Lorraine Toussaint
Lorraine Toussaint also shared that because she did not have access to an experienced hairstylist with an understanding of Black hair texture, her hair got damaged.
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Halle Berry
Halle Berry is known for her iconic pixie cut, but she did not set out to be a trendsetter with the hairstyle. The stylist shared with AP’S Gary Hamilton that there weren’t many Black hairstylists at the time, and she had not-so-pleasant experiences with some Hollywood stylists.
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Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah is another actress who shared that early on in her career, she had experiences with hairstylists who did not know how to work with her hair. She says that it wasn’t because they were doing it maliciously but because they truly did not know.
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Natasha Rothwell
Natasha Rothwell told The Hollywood Reporter that she had to style her own hair before arriving on set, because she anticipated the stylists would not know how to do it. Most times, she had to pay for the hair products out of pocket.
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