Crowning Natural Hair in Media: Halle Bailey, Brandy & The Rockettes
Representation matters. It is empowering to see parts of your culture and identity showcased with pride.
For locs, braids, and textured styles, representation means celebration of Black culture and heritage. Showcasing natural hair and protective styles in iconic roles and movies creates long-lasting representation to inspire future generations.
If you’re like me, you use Pinterest for all kinds of natural hair inspiration. From products and accessories to trending looks and how-to videos.
On a recent wash day, while searching for protective hairstyle ideas, I saw content recreating Halle Bailey’s iconic look as Ariel in The Little Mermaid and celebrating Brandy’s princess hairstyle when she portrayed Cinderella in the 90s made-for-TV movie.
Under every video, Black women swapped hair stories, shared memories, and celebrated the groundbreaking representation with each other. Seeing Black women young and old bonding over these cultural moments, I was struck by the far-reaching impact of natural hair representation in media.
This past spring, I had a remarkable experience meeting a Black Radio City Rockette dancer who wears her hair in protective twists. It was wonderful connecting with her on that level. Both of us wore bright smiles and protective hairstyles with pride.
Natural hair representation holds immense significance, transcending personal style.
Natural hair representation:
Sparks meaningful conversations
Celebrates cultural heritage
Fosters empowerment
Halle Bailey, Brandy, and Black Rockette dancers provide groundbreaking representation through their dedication to their natural hair.
Continue reading to learn more about the positive impact of these women embracing their natural hair on stage and screen.
Making Waves: Natural Hair Representation in The Little Mermaid (2023)
The Little Mermaid’s star, hair designer, and creative teams were dedicated to bringing natural hair representation to Ariel’s look.
Stepping into the role of Ariel, Bailey was passionate about bringing the representation of natural locs to this Disney princess character. Performing as Ariel while staying true to her sense of self and culture was essential.
Hear more from Bailey about incorporating her natural hair as Ariel in this TikTok clip from @buzzfeedoz.
Camille Friend, an Oscar-nominated celebrity hairstylist known for her work on projects like Wakanda Forever and Dream Girls, was specially chosen as the hair designer and personal hairstylist for Bailey in The Little Mermaid.
Through thoughtful conversation, research on Caribbean culture, and extensive experimentation, she meticulously crafted a custom hair extension look that helped the lead actress shine authentically with a look incorporating her natural locs.
Friend shares her journey designing Ariel’s hairstyle in this Access Hollywood interview.
Kirbie Johnson, beauty and entertainment reporter, highlights Friend’s work and process of creating Ariel’s hairstyle.
For the first time, kids are introduced to a Black Disney princess with stunning natural locs. The finished look is a vibrant and culturally inspired creation, staying true to Bailey’s identity and reflecting the flowing essence of mermaid hair.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Friend says,
“The responses have made me cry…I saw those little girls react to Halle, and it stopped me in my tracks. I was like, Whoa, because I do what I do, but to see the emotions from representation is like no other feeling. That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Audiences see a princess in a position of power and respect, wearing her hair in a historically and culturally significant protective hairstyle. Bailey says in an interview with Ebony magazine, “There was a time when we’d barely see locs — and now we have a Disney princess with them, which has never happened before.”
Women who embrace their natural hair in media and entertainment are carving out cultural spaces to bond over the beauty and significance of our roots.
In an interview with Access Hollywood, Bailey shares her joy for bringing representation to the big screen.
Thanks to Bailey, Friend, and the creative departments’ dedication, The Little Mermaid is a source of inspiration and meaningful conversations about protective hairstyling.
In this TikTok clip from @emergencefilms, Bailey talks with young reporters, Janai and Arayah from Cocoa Girl magazine, about maintaining her natural locs on set. For more of this interview, see the entire Cocoa Kids TV video on YouTube.
It’s Possible: Brandy’s Cinderella (1997) Empowers Generations
Cinderella (1997) is a trailblazing representation of Black princesses and natural hair.
Seeing Bailey’s gorgeous locs twirl around her in underwater scenes of The Little Mermaid, I had a flashback of rewinding a VHS tape as a little kid to see Brandy shine as Cinderella.
Hear reflections from Brandy and other cast members about Cinderella’s significance over 25 years later.
This film celebrates natural hair as luxurious, professional, and elegant.
As Brandy captivates audiences with her signature box braids, her hair transforms into a curly braided updo during Cinderella’s magical makeover. Whitney Houston radiates with angelic spiraling curls as the Fairy Godmother, and Whoopi Goldberg reigns as queen, adorning her locs with shining crowns.
Brandy’s portrayal of Cinderella is an enduring inspiration for generations of youth, as she stands among the first Black women to play a princess character.
By embracing braids instead of conforming to traditional straight hair in this fairytale role, Brandy empowers kids to authentically see themselves in stories and the media.
Halle Bailey highlights how this film positively impacted her as a kid in her Ebony Magazine article, “Under the Sea and Above It All.”
“I remember [Brandy’s 1997 movie, Cinderella] was one of the first [films] I saw with a Black princess. It was so monumental. It changes your whole perspective as a young Black woman, how you feel about yourself, what you think you can do, and the possibilities the world has to offer. She’s the blueprint for all of the Black princesses to come.”
Showcasing Natural Hair on Center Stage: Black Radio City Rockettes Hair Care Commitment
During a tour of Radio City Music Hall, my tour group had the privilege of meeting a Radio City Rockette.
As the dressing room door swung open and we greeted her with applause, my smile grew even wider. Maya Addie, a talented Black Rockette dancer, exuded pride while wearing her natural hair in beautiful protective twists.
At that moment, my eyes shimmered with sheer joy as I expressed heartfelt appreciation for her choice to embrace her natural hair while performing as a Rockette.
The Radio City Rockettes are known for their uniformity, from sharply synced dance steps to their precise French Twist hairstyle. Maintaining natural hair through protective styling is a large time commitment. I am grateful for Black Rockettes’ dedication to wearing protective hairstyles within their organization’s standards.
Rockette JoJo shares how she styles her braids in the Rockette’s French Twist in this TikTok from @rockettes.
Embracing their natural hair on stage paves the way for diversity and empowerment. Thanks to these dancers, natural hair is normalized in previously unexplored domains and provides added representation for audiences of color.
Young dancers of color can connect with the Radio City Rockettes of color on a deeper level by discussing opportunities for authentic cultural expression in the dance industry.
Hear Jennifer Jones’ story as the first Black Rockette and Danelle Morgan’s experience as a current Rockettes Dance Captain.
Less than forty years after Jennifer Jones broke the color barrier in this dance company, dancers of diverse backgrounds now proudly showcase their natural hair under the spotlight of center stage. The unwavering commitment of these remarkable women to their authentic hair serves as a beacon of inspiration to those who share the beauty of natural locs.
Final Thoughts
The power of natural hair representation goes far beyond individual style.
It bonds people together through time and space.
No distance is too great,
Internet conversations between strangers,
smiles of gratitude between entertainers and fans,
or reminisced memories between people from different generations.
Caring for natural hair is a form of art that takes time, determination, and creativity to perfect. Halle Bailey, Brandy, and Black Radio City Rockettes bring trailblazing representations of natural hair to light through their unwavering commitment. These women exemplify how authentic self-expression can celebrate cultural heritage, transform perspectives, and inspire generations.
Love cultural storytelling like this? Check out this story, “Standing in a Dream: My Joyful Visit to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.”
This story was originally published on medium.com (@alexisrenae) and alexisrenaemedia.com in June 2023.
