More Black Actors Say Hollywood Needs To Hire Hairstylists Who Can Work With Their Hair

Black Hair, Don’t Care is a problem in Hollywood that needs to be addressed, according to a number of stars.

Black actors and actresses need something done about their hair and they are calling on Hollywood to take action. A number of high-profile black stars say Hollywood productions need to start hiring hairstylists who know how to work with their hair.

Most black actresses come to a new set w/ their hair done (me) or bring their wigs & clip-ins w/them. It’s either that or take a chance that you will look crazy on screen. Many of us also bring our own foundation. One too many times seeing no shade that matches you will learn ya! https://t.co/mGAzpuoKtb

— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) March 11, 2019

“Most black actresses come to a new set w/ their hair done (me) or bring their wigs and clip-ins with them,” Brown tweeted on Monday. “It’s either that or take a chance that you will look crazy on screen. Many of us also bring our own foundation. One too many times seeing no shade that matches you will learn ya!”

“I’ve spoken to on this topic face the same thing in film and television,” Yahya Abdul-Mateen II chimed in. “Hairstylists in our industry should have proper training, AND be able to show proof. Too often they begin to ‘figure it out’ the second we sit in the chair.”

Brown, Mateen, and other stars like Malcolm Barrett spoke out after model Olivia Anakwe brought attention to the issue in the modelling world. “This message is to spread awareness and hopefully reach anyone in the hair field to expand their range of skills,” Anakwe wrote on Instagram.

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This message is to spread awareness & hopefully reach anyone in the hair field to expand their range of skills. Black models are still asking for just one hairstylist on every team no matter where your team is from to care for afro hair. I was asked to get out of an empty chair followed by having hairstylists blatantly turning their backs to me when I would walk up to them, to get my hair done. If I am asked to wear my natural hair to a show, the team should prepare the style just as they practice the look and demo for non-afro hair. I arrived backstage where they planned to do cornrows, but not one person on the team knew how to do them without admitting so. After one lady attempted and pulled my edges relentlessly, I stood up to find a model who could possibly do it. After asking two models and then the lead/only nail stylist, she was then taken away from her job to do my hair. This is not okay. This will never be okay. This needs to change. No matter how small your team is, make sure you have one person that is competent at doing afro texture hair care OR just hire a black hairstylist! Black hairstylists are required to know how to do everyone’s hair, why does the same not apply to others? It does not matter if you don’t specialize in afro hair, as a continuous learner in your field you should be open to what you have yet to accomplish; take a class. I was ignored, I was forgotten, and I felt that. Unfortunately I’m not alone, black models with afro texture hair continuously face these similar unfair and disheartening circumstances. It’s 2019, it’s time to do better. || #NaturalHair #ModelsofColor #BlackHairCare #HairCare #Message #Hair #Hairstyling #Backstage #BTS #AfroTexturedHair #Afro #POC #Braids #Message #Spreadtheword #Speak #Awareness #Growth #WorkingTogether #BlackGirlMagic #Melanin

A post shared by Olivia Anakwe (@olivia_anakwe) on Mar 7, 2019 at 9:07am PST

“Unfortunately I’m not alone, black models with afro texture hair continuously face these similar unfair and disheartening circumstances,” she concluded. “It’s 2019, it’s time to do better.”

Black actors call on Hollywood to hire hair stylists who know how to work with their hair