Lupita Nyong'o Epitomizes The Beauty & Versatility Of Natural Hair
When Lupita Nyong'o spoke on her relationship with her beautiful, natural "kinky" hair for Allure magazine, it was seriously a moment unlike any other.
Up until a few years ago, the natural hair movement and celebration of natural hair textures was seriously an anomaly. Even then, seeing women with what is considered more kinky, coily-textured, 4C hair was few and far between.
From seeing her on red carpets to powerful movies that literally push #BlackMagic like Black Panther, it's nothing short of incredible to see a dark-skinned, 4C-textured hair woman speaking on the culture of hair. The African beauty recently told Allure:
"I like the term 'kinky.' Some people don't like that term, but when I think about my hair, I think of it as African kinky hair."
"But I'm not really in deep with the politics of it all and the language choice. I speak just from my own experience or my own preference. Curly hair differs so much."
Her stylist, Vernon Francois, also told the magazine, "Lupita and I wanted to show that coily or kinky hair has many strengths and can be worn in lots of different ways, celebrating its beauty and versatility."
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Seeing someone like Lupita, one of the most coveted and in-the-moment stars in the world right now speak on her love for her hair, validated many of us who may have very rarely felt seen before. Now, don't get me wrong - Lupita is not the only celebrity or person in media to shake up the hair conversation. All I'm saying is it's impactful AF to see one of the most sought-after actresses rocking and owning her hair texture that has previously been dismissed.
First of all, Lupita's natural hair and grace shows us all that simply being isn't always a political statement or act - black haircan be celebrated without us having an alternative agenda. When Melissa Harris Parry made commentary on FKA Twigs on the cover of Elle, she explicitly said, "If we allow our hair to simply grow out of our heads in its natural state, most people will assume that we are making a social and political statement."
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Of course, the first thing I want to know is, can we just live? Does everything, even down to our hair, have to be something to be picked and prodded at? Why can't this be normal? Have Lupita tell it, it can. The actress leads by example and shows us that we can simply "be" by continuing to be proud and unapologetically ourselves. And that the best way to normalize something is to continuously show it without always having to justify or explain. As women, we often feel the need to do that when really, we don't need to.
Lupita is infamously known for rocking a short 'do, however experimenting with braids and extensions shows us that when taken care of properly, 4C hair has the flexibility to do anything! Women like Lupita show us that nobody is left out in the possibility of exploring what makes you fierce and fabulous!
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Lupita's hair brings a call to action for more visibility and inclusivity in the natural hair community. Oftentimes, 4C textures are only shown when they are a TWA or a full-blown out afro. Many women in-between don't see themselves, and especially not when it comes to the big screen. To see someone rockin' her hair and you can see there hasn't been a huge push to alter her hair pattern, straighten anything, twist-out anything, or even slick edges down? THAT'S encouraging for all those that never see that before.
It challenges us to think of "beauty" and what it is for the Black community.
If you want to do something to your hair, cool! But knowing that if you don't, you're still amazing and beautiful, is equally encouraging. We're hoping that this conversation continues to happen and pushes more actresses of color with various hair textures to be represented on the screen.
No matter your hair texture or type, it can always be a bit challenging when imagining how others will view you. That's why it's important for us to continue to champion women like Lupita or Danai or Letitia on speaking out and showing all levels of Blackness and our beauty. That's why we have to applaud and push for more movies like Black Panther that will show unapologetic, unaltered, and unfiltered Blackness for all.
Marvel's Black Panther
And even when you're feeling trapped or self-conscious about your coils? Think of the fierce, badass women in your life who show you that the best love starts from within. That's a lesson we all can learn from.
Check out Lupita's full March cover story with Allure here.
Featured image by Giphy
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UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."