- 7 hours ago
Crown Proud: Black Hollywood on Breaking Beauty Standards
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00:00Because National Crown Day is July 3rd, and it's a special day in celebration to commemorate the inaugural signing of the Crown Act, alright?
00:10Yes. Now if you don't know what the Crown Act is, which is aka creating a respectable and open world for natural hair,
00:17it's a law that prohibits discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles.
00:22In this special Crown Conversation, actress and comedian Kim Whitley and Oscar-nominated celebrity hairstylist Camille Friend,
00:33she did The Little Mermaid, Black Panther, Wakanda Forever, she discusses redefining Hollywood beauty standards
00:41and celebrating the power and excellence of black women.
00:46Make some noise for yourself, black women, yes?
00:49Yes.
00:51Moderated by Dove, self-esteem educator and makeup artist, Dre Brown.
00:55Listen, driven to infuse each creative encounter with joy, inducing laughter, beauty, and lifestyle,
01:01powerhouse Dre Brown seeks to offer her clients and community both something for the eye and the soul.
01:07This free spirit sees her approach to creatively contributing in and around content and curated experiences as a vehicle
01:15through which she promotes joy, self-care, motivation, creative passions, and wellness-centered transformation.
01:22Y'all, make some noise for Dre Brown!
01:28Let me see them bundles.
01:33I need them bundles one more time.
01:37Yes!
01:38What's up, Essence?
01:41Yes!
01:41Thank you, beautiful.
01:43You look fabulous.
01:45Mwah, thank you, Essence, give it up for yourselves!
01:50How you doing?
01:51My name is Dre Brown.
01:52Thank you so much for that introduction.
01:55And we are here today to have a truly thought-provoking conversation about the impact of Hollywood on black hair and culture.
02:05And I am so grateful to welcome our two esteemed guests to join me in this conversation to share both their personal experiences and expertise to this conversation.
02:17Y'all ready?
02:19So help me give the Essence welcome to first, actress and comedian, Kim Whitley!
02:27And joining us to continue the conversation with Kim, we have Oscar-nominated hairstylist Camille Friend.
02:50Yes, let's sit on down, let's sit on down.
03:01What's happening, what's happening?
03:03Come on, give it up for Camille Friend, y'all!
03:05We got Camille right here, look at her.
03:07Walk the walk, Camille, walk the walk.
03:09Yes, walk the walk!
03:11With that right jump, too, though.
03:13Y'all ready?
03:14All right, let's sit on down.
03:15Let me sit on down and see before the Spanx pop.
03:18Hold up.
03:19Yeah, we can't have nothing breaking.
03:20Y'all feeling good?
03:22Ladies, first of all, thank you both for what you do, but also for joining this conversation.
03:28I just want to set the stage.
03:30Hollywood is a huge influence on both social norms, period, but really beauty standards across the board.
03:39And what we really want to talk about today is how that notion of Hollywood and the power it wields has shaped the conversation around black hair and black hair culture.
03:51So when we raise this, we want to specifically talk about our natural hair and protective styles like braids, knots, twists, locks.
04:01These are images that we're seeing more of, but we really want to talk about the journey to get here.
04:06So, Kim, I first want to ask you, you've been in the game for a long time, and as an actor and a comedian, how have you seen Hollywood shape that beauty narrative?
04:18Like, Hollywood being that kind of curator of what black hair, the discussion around black hair is.
04:25Well, first of all, every question I answer, I feel like I'm going to be with that music.
04:30I mean, we're going to have to keep the...
04:32We had a party. All right, Essence. All right.
04:35So, can y'all hear me? All right.
04:37So, it's been interesting because as a little girl, I wasn't an actress.
04:42But, you know what, we all watched, you know, there wasn't that many black people on TV, but Soul Train, I was watching that.
04:50But then, I think when, I know, when Venus and Serena came out with all those beads on their head, the little voice inside of me was like this.
05:02Did you get...
05:02What are they doing? How are they going to be able to play tennis with those beads?
05:07Oh, my God, they're going to injure themselves.
05:09Wait, did you clutch your beads or clutch your pearls?
05:12You know, because I've been conditioned from society that this ethnic style, oh, my, they're not representing us.
05:21And then, the little girl inside of me said, go ahead on, right on.
05:27And next thing you know, I had the beads in my hair.
05:32It gave me permission to wear that style.
05:35So, as I went on in Hollywood, but we think about what we saw on television, you know, back in the 70s, they had the afros.
05:44And we was like, oh, we down with this, look at us.
05:47And then, there was a shift, and things changed.
05:50And I'm going to let my girl go ahead and hit on that.
05:53I mean, and Camille, like, you are a department head inside of these production, like, entertainment companies.
06:02You're at the table.
06:04You are educating not only the talent, but also the filmmakers and the creators.
06:11What challenges in your role specifically have you seen navigating Hollywood in your career, but also in trying to really see black hair represented?
06:21I think a lot of the major challenges started, like, when you hire the wrong people for the job.
06:26When you don't have the hair and the makeup artists who understand black hair texture or understand the shades of our skin.
06:34That's the first problem.
06:36But I find myself, what I like to call myself, is an agent of change.
06:40Like, you know, it's the change happens in Hollywood from the inside.
06:43So, it's educating not only producers, directors, casting directors, and even going back to educating your actors.
06:52And even, I say, you know, like, educating other hairstylists.
06:57Anybody who sits on my team, it is my job as a department head to make sure, no matter what head of hair comes through that door, that they are able to do.
07:06And that's something I do every day, and that's part of being my greatest success.
07:12But the truth is, we don't have that until now.
07:14There needs to be more of you.
07:16And that's the truth.
07:17Every day I walked in, in my whole career, they're like, they're over there whispering, what could we do with our hair?
07:23How are we going to do this?
07:25Instead of hiring the person that knows what to do with it.
07:28This is a constant that you walk in afraid or nervous of what your hair is and what they're going to say, you know, what can we do with it?
07:38What products should we use?
07:39Oh, I love this one.
07:41Oh, I got this product.
07:42I went to the beauty store.
07:44I saw this.
07:45I saw this on the ad, and I got this for your hair.
07:49But go ahead.
07:49Go ahead.
07:50No, but I mean, you bring up, that's the point that so often, if we had a representation like you, Camille, on every set, we probably wouldn't be here having this conversation.
08:00Exactly.
08:00But you are not, you're not the majority when we come to these conversations.
08:05But, Kim, as in your role in taking different opportunities to play, tell different stories, how often have you felt the challenge to want to conform to a beauty norm in order to get a role, to be more marketable in the industry?
08:24And as you navigated those challenges, what advice would you give to any aspiring actors or actresses that are here on how to navigate those challenges?
08:34Because they're not going anywhere, but even with the progress we're making.
08:37Girl, you didn't ask 17 questions in one question.
08:41My brain is confused, but I'm going to go with one that I grabbed.
08:44I grabbed one.
08:45But the truth is this.
08:47We were talking about it backstage.
08:49Yes.
08:49On my way over here, my agent's called.
08:51I got a part in this new movie coming up.
08:53I'm playing a congresswoman.
08:55And the problem with that is, soon as they called me, they were like, OK, Kim, who do you want for hair and makeup?
09:02That voice inside of me was like, oh, my God, my hair's in braids.
09:07Oh, I can't play a congresswoman with this?
09:09And that's the problem.
09:11And just the fact that I am, I have, it's a trauma.
09:15That's a trigger.
09:16You know, in Hollywood, black actresses and actors, there's a trauma there that I have to think, how can I wear my hair?
09:25Of course, congresswomen wear their hair like this.
09:28But I need to feel secure.
09:30And I'm the one who has to set that.
09:33When I go to set, I got to say, this is how I'm wearing my hair.
09:37This is a congresswoman.
09:38And I mean, we've got to look at our congresswomen that are out there now.
09:43They also have to be set the narrative for us.
09:46They have to wear their hair like Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles.
09:50She has a little afro.
09:51But now that we see this and our little girls see this, it sets the standard.
09:56Hey, that's OK.
09:57I can be a congresswoman.
09:58And Michelle, you know, she's wearing, rocking her braids and stuff.
10:02It's like, OK, I can be a first lady.
10:04So that's what has to happen.
10:06And I would say, right now, on Wednesday, when I go back to shoot this movie, I know y'all
10:12going to be looking to see if I have it in the movie.
10:14I know y'all going to be like, did Kim do it?
10:14I'm going to be looking for those braids.
10:16You're going to be looking for it.
10:16OK, OK, OK, congresswoman.
10:18But like this, maybe.
10:19What y'all think?
10:20Have it up.
10:21Yes, exactly.
10:22I like that up.
10:23I like that.
10:23But I still got my braids.
10:26That's right.
10:26And what I will tell actresses, and you know this, come to the set.
10:30And if you don't see somebody that looks like you, you still got to rock your uniqueness
10:34and who you are.
10:36And sometimes, unfortunately, we got to bring our own product.
10:39We bring our stuff and say, this works best for my hair.
10:41But you got to start demanding, you know, can they do this hair?
10:45And you have to make sure they start teaching the others how to do our hair.
10:50All right, I'm going to be quiet.
10:51I think, I'm going to say this, Kim.
10:53I think one of the important things is it is teaching the others.
10:56And it's about having a communication before you even get to the trailer.
11:00Like, I'm going to call you or I'm going to text you and say, Kim, what are your needs?
11:05What do you need for shampoo, for conditioner?
11:07Is your hair colored?
11:08Do you have extensions?
11:10What kind of foundation?
11:12What are you allergic to?
11:13So these are all things in caring for my job that people need to be asking.
11:18And we have to change that lens and do it differently.
11:20And I think you said it, it's not, it's not like an in the moment.
11:25There has to be a culture of saying these things are priorities.
11:29I'm curious, especially being a decision maker and also being the person that is leading the teams that are creating these looks.
11:36How have you educated those directors, those filmmakers, those creative directors and stylists that these are priorities that you don't want to negotiate?
11:47Like, you want to make sure that are held to high regard?
11:50I think for me, it's just a matter of you have to be bold.
11:54You have to be authentic and you can't be scared.
11:56You have to speak up.
11:58I'm an agent of change.
11:59I'm taking my seat at the table.
12:01I am a filmmaker.
12:03And what I bring to the table to these movies are important.
12:06Like, I remember my first conversation with Ryan Coogler when we did the first Black Panther.
12:11I said to him, I want this movie to be about natural hair.
12:15I don't want it, like, we're not going to be doing no curling iron, no this, that and the other.
12:19I want to be natural.
12:20And he was like, Camille, I'm down.
12:23So it was an opportunity for me to say, to show the world, black hair is beautiful.
12:29Natural hair is beautiful.
12:31Yes, it is beautiful.
12:33We have the best hair in the world.
12:35Don't let anybody ever tell you that you don't.
12:38We have the best hair.
12:39So I think as a person, you have to be bold, you have to be authentic, and you have to stand up for what you know is correct.
12:46A closed mouth doesn't get fed.
12:48So in me, in my career, I've just been bold, and I'm a designer and a filmmaker, and I love what I do, and I think that comes across to people.
12:56And that's indicative of the progress we've made.
13:00Have you seen, as far as the actor side of the business, any other major progress that we can say we are not where we may want to be, but we're on our way in recent years?
13:11I think she definitely can talk about it, because she's in it.
13:15Me, as an actress, we are definitely not where we used to be, and we are a lot further, because there are more people like us showing up.
13:23Since you're throwing out credits, I might not have no Black Panther, but on Act Your Age on Bounce TV every Saturday at 8.
13:30That's right, that's right, that's right.
13:32What we did do is that our whole hair department, not the makeup, interesting enough, but our hair department is three sisters, and one is Depp.
13:44She specializes in natural hair, but you see we all wear wigs and different kind of styles, but that would have never happened back in the day.
13:52They told me one time, we hire who we know, but we are changing it.
13:57We're coming in demanding.
13:58I talked to some actresses on the plane, new, and they're like, well, Kim, we're not at your level.
14:02We can't say anything.
14:04I said, but if you don't start talking, she said, if we talk, they think we're a diva.
14:08I said, it's how you talk.
14:10That's what you've got to change.
14:11You don't come in there making demands.
14:13You come in there making suggestions.
14:15Then you talk to your agent and say, put this in my contract.
14:17Go ahead, go ahead.
14:18No, your agent and manager are the ones who are fighting for you.
14:22So before you even get there, like you said, talk to your agent and manager.
14:26Talk about what you need.
14:27I had managers call me all the time and say, I have a client who's doing this, this, and this.
14:32Who can we get to send over there?
14:34So this is a communication that actually people have with me now where I'm telling them, hire this hair and makeup.
14:40Hire this person because we want to have who's right for the job because Kim shouldn't have to show up the first day and people don't know what's going on with her.
14:47There should always be a conversation because we're the first place they start in the morning.
14:52And when Kim comes to the hair and makeup, she should be there sipping her tea, learning her lines.
14:57She shouldn't have to be worried about what happened to her hair and makeup.
15:00I got to learn my lines because you know I ain't learning my lines until I get there.
15:03I'll be like, I didn't learn my lines because the hair girl didn't know how to do my hair.
15:07And that's the truth.
15:08You shouldn't have to be worried about that in the morning.
15:10No.
15:10You should be able to show up at work and be your authentic self and be the great actress that you are.
15:15And feel good.
15:15People don't understand.
15:17If I don't feel good, if an actress or an actor, they don't feel good about themselves, you cannot be good on film.
15:24Amen.
15:24You know that.
15:25You're not going to do your best work.
15:27And that's not just actors and actresses.
15:31We really, we're here in concert to one, shed light on Hollywood.
15:36But Hollywood is influential, but there's a lot of things that are happening in this industry
15:40that are happening in industries that you all work in as well.
15:44You know, what we wanted to highlight really the impact of the Crown movement.
15:48And for those of you who don't know, Crown stands for creating a respectful and open world
15:53for natural hair.
15:54And these young ladies have been down with the Crown movement from the beginning.
16:00From the beginning.
16:01And pushing the culture forward by having conversations where we are elevating the importance, not just
16:08to have legislation that protects us against race-based hair discrimination, but also that
16:14raises the level of conversation and resourcing in these areas, as well as the areas you work
16:21in, where the care of your natural hair is prioritized and resourced and thoughtfully protected.
16:28And I want to thank you guys for that, too.
16:30No, it's not over yet.
16:30I just want to ask you a quick question, then.
16:33How many of you right here have either had a problem at the workplace, asked to change your
16:39hair?
16:39How many of you have been asked to change your hair, or they looked at you with your
16:44hair kind of funny, like, why are you wearing your hair like that?
16:47See what?
16:48Raise your hand high.
16:49Raise it high.
16:51This is an everyday occurrence, still now.
16:54And you may represent places that are far beyond just the halls of Hollywood.
17:01And we want to know that we see you in this Crown movement.
17:04And for those of you who don't know, the Crown movement is moving forward.
17:09It's a part of the culture.
17:10We are elevating, making sure that black culture is protected and thoughtfully resourced.
17:16And the Crown Act, the legislation that protects us from race-based hair discrimination, has
17:23been passed thus far in 23 states, and we're not going to stop.
17:27Yes, that's right.
17:29I want to know why you got the Janet Jackson hair piece and we don't.
17:32You know, I mean, I'm going to be honest with you, and we talked about not only the workplace,
17:38but we're actually protecting our babies in public schools across the country, because
17:43we want to make sure that we are understanding that the care of our natural hair and the styles
17:48that are endemic to our culture are protected and understood.
17:52And this conversation, thank you for being a part of this movement, is really to grow understanding
17:57and make sure that industries like the Hollywood industry are thinking about us and the people
18:04who make sure that our images are respectfully portrayed like these young ladies here.
18:09Is there anything you want to share with our Crown movement family before we wrap this up?
18:15I have one thing.
18:17I want to talk about something that I think is the change for everybody.
18:21It's education.
18:22It's educating people who don't maybe understand what hair texture is.
18:26They don't understand about texture-ism.
18:28And that's one thing I do.
18:29I have a company that's called Hair Scholars, and I teach hairstylists, makeup, and barbers how
18:35to be in this business.
18:36Not only how to do hair, how to get paid, how to do your deal memo, how to show up in the
18:41trailer.
18:41Because you want to come and do $100 million movies like I do, because there's very few
18:46of us.
18:47So I just want to say to everybody, we have a discount code, which is the CROWN ACT 2023.
18:53Go to hairscholars.com and sign up for some of our classes.
18:57And I'm going to tell you, what we do, we're changing Hollywood from the inside out, and
19:02we want to make it better for all the people of color as you come into the business so you
19:07can be successful.
19:08I'm so grateful.
19:09Yes.
19:10And the only thing I'd like to say is that words matter.
19:13Talk to your babies, because that's where it starts.
19:16Really love on your child's hair.
19:18If they want to wear their hair however they want to wear it, let them wear their hair.
19:24Love on their hair.
19:25Don't say that's ugly.
19:26Don't use words of hate or something that will turn them away.
19:30Negativity.
19:31My grandmother, I had big old ponytail, pigtails, and she cut them off, because she was like,
19:36I don't know how to do this hair, I don't know how to do this nappy hair.
19:39And I was very young, and she cut both of my pigtails.
19:42My mother was out of town.
19:44And she cut my identity right then.
19:47Then I felt like, oh, I need to be a little, I'm a boy now, let me go.
19:50I started playing all kinds of sports, which was good for me.
19:54But right there, I didn't feel pretty, because she just snapped it right there, my hair.
20:01So talk to your children.
20:02Don't say words of negativity about their hair.
20:06Encourage them if they want to wear natural hair, because that's how it starts, even going
20:10to Hollywood.
20:10I thought to be the pretty leading lady, I got to have all this flowing hair.
20:15But you don't, and it starts at home.
20:17That's what I just want to make sure we encourage you.
20:19Thank you so much.
20:20I want to thank Kim and Camille for joining us, for being leaders in this movement.
20:27The Crown movement is not finished.
20:29We are continuing to move conversations like this forward, continue to talk about the importance
20:35of protecting Black-identifying hairstyles, and just celebrating our hair in the beautiful
20:41ways that these young ladies have.
20:44We appreciate y'all.
20:45Thank you, everybody.
20:47Let's go rock our proud crowns, ladies and gentlemen.
20:50Love your crown.
20:51Love your crown, ladies.
20:52Love your crowns.
20:53And follow us on social media.
20:55Yes.
21:05Love your crowns.
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