This is texture talk. From the crown of free-flowing curls to the strands hidden in protective styles, Curly is a column that dives deep into the dynamic world of his hair.
Flashback to the 2012 Oscars red carpet: Viola Davis winning Best Actress for playing Ivyline Clarke in the 2011s helpwas stunned by Vera Wang’s flowing, long emerald green gown and matching oversized earrings. After years of wearing a variety of wigs on the red carpet, the veteran actress decided to ditch the hairpiece for the prestigious ceremony and show off her natural hair for the first time. For Davis, embracing her afro that night was more than just a style choice. It was a teachable moment, offering a crash course on politics to a large audience.
“There’s a culture being projected that black women aren’t pretty, and we have that mindset as black women,” she says. Each time, it felt like a strange mix of being on the red carpet because I was properly dressed and trying to be myself, and I just can’t find the balance. When I took off the wig, I found my balance.”
Davis’ Coyle again made headlines on an episode of the hit ABC show’s freshman season. how to get away with murderWhile getting ready for bed, powerful attorney Annalize Keating, played by Viola Davis, removed her makeup and wig to reveal a frizzy, curly head tucked underneath. The scene quickly went viral. It was a standout moment that introduced the world to the secret beauty prep process of so many black women.
But for the Academy Award-, Emmy- and Tony Award-winning performer and L’Oréal Paris ambassador, the most significant Hollywood hair moment came in the 2018 film. widowSuggested by director Steve McQueen, the experience with hair is an industry within which the beauty of black women onscreen has often been measured by the looseness of their curl patterns. helped break a long-standing hang-up Davis had. Highly textured hair is rarely given the airtime it deserves.
“Whenever I get a role as an actress, the number one thing I feel can transform you into a character is your hair, but I never thought my hair would be an option,” says Davis. There’s something about tying ugly natural hair to ‘unbeautiful things’, and not just unbeautiful things, that natural hair isn’t even in the beauty conversation. The thing is, at least I can see my hair as an option.
Whether it’s on the red carpet (such as the 2022 Cannes Film Festival) or the big screen, Davis’ public hair evolution is fighting neck-and-neck with her long road to self-acceptance, she says. It’s a journey that made the 56-year-old realize she was trying to erase the natural beauty of her youth. .
Davis’ current makeup choices also reflect that inner growth. “The makeup that makes me feel most empowered is the makeup that enhances what I already have. Especially as I get older, I want to be a palette myself,” she says. , added that red lipstick holds a special status in her kit. “Then one day I fell in love with my lips and now I want to show them off. I love it!”
Ahead, discover more of our favorite Viola Davis curly hair moments in the gallery below.
This article first appeared on fashions April 2021 issue. Please check this out for details.
