Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award Winning actress Viola Davis has decided that she will no longer work with hairstylists who are not experienced or knowledgeable on how to style and maintain black hair.
The decision comes after a recent Teen Vogue article highlighted the lack of black hairstylists in the entertainment industry. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The article went viral and Davis and other high profile Black actresses and models have weighed in, sharing behind the scenes horror stories and on set nightmares all stemming from this severe lack of diversity in the Hollywood Haircare Community.
Davis revealed that she has personally decided to refuse to accept any hairstylist that won’t “honor” her hair.
As she told Ebony Magazine, “That has not been my narrative lately of hair because I refuse it. I reject it,” referring to the fact that she specifically only hires people who are well-versed in African American hair and hairstyles.
“I don’t think that people understand our hair…they don’t understand that we’re different, and yet, the same,” Davis said. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“What I find is hair is something that a lot of people don’t honor when you do film.”
Davis explains that even if Hollywood doesn’t respect black hair, she and her production company, JuVee Productions, will continue to hire hairstylists who do.
“I don’t embrace it,” said Davis, “And with my production company — that’s not going to be part of it.”
