Story: Dewayne Rogers
Images: Hannibal Matthews for Steed Media Service
The makeshift television studio constructed on the fourth floor of Atlanta’s Four Seasons hotel is the center of frenetic activity. As crew members move purposely about to meet a 3 p.m. start time, actors Chris Rock and Nia Long casually stroll into the room flanked by a security team, publicists and personal groomers. The last in that group — the groomers — stand out more than the others, because their industry is currently at the heart of a spirited national discussion.
The catalyst for the discussion is Good Hair, Rock’s smart, good-natured documentary on the world of “black” hair. The film, which received a warm reception from critics, is not likely to break any box-office records. But that’s OK with Rock; his laid-back demeanor suggests he’s less concerned with monetary rewards this time around. In fact, that approach may have contributed to the production of his most meaningful work to date.
“In a weird way this feels like my best movie,” Rock reveals. “It’s just a great topic — there’s emotion, there’s laughs, and it gives women a chance to see that they aren’t alone when it comes to their hair.
Outside of the project’s obvious appeal for black women, it also provided Rock an opportunity to indulge some of his own curiosities.
“I’ve been wanting to do a movie about the Bronner Brothers [International] Hair Show for about 10 years now,” he shares. “I just so happened to have been in Atlanta one time while the hair show was going on, because I was doing stand-up. I was at my hotel and all of these hairdressers were downstairs, and they began to explain the whole process to me. So I went over to the convention and saw what was going on. I felt that it would be a great thing to do a movie about. But 12 years ago, no one was doing funny documentaries. It was just an idea that was a little ahead of its time. So cut to 10 years later, and I have two daughters that are really dealing with hair issues. So that kind of sparked it up again. It just made me see how I could do the movie. Half hair show, half hair history.”
As Rock detailed the film’s backstory, Nia Long sat next to him breathing a sigh of relief. In her mind, a national discussion on black hair was long overdue. Much like skin color, hair has been inextricably linked to a black woman’s worth for years. So it was refreshing to finally have an opportunity to blow the lid off of some of those misconceptions.
“Chris called me and said he was working on a project called Good Hair,” Long explains. “He said he just wanted me to come down and talk about my hair, which I was happy to do. What was nice about it was I was able to actually talk freely and openly about hair, and for women of color that’s a major thing.”
While the discussion about hair was therapeutic for Long, the subsequent tour to promote the film has worked to strengthen her belief in the subject matter.
“You have no idea how many women have stopped me just to say thank you for being a part of this film,” she shares. “For a lot of us, the subject has been taboo. But now we are finally talking about it and that’s a good thing.”
Rock can’t help but smile while listening to Long passionately detail what she’s gained from his labor of love. As the discussion of hair continues, he interjects his belief that true growth can only take place when black women learn to love and accept their hair the way it is. “All hair is good hair,” he stresses. “That’s one of the main things that I want people to know. All hair is good hair.”
All hair may be good hair, but as the film delves into the underworld of weave, we learn that all weave apparently isn’t good weave. In fact, one scene in particular finds a schoolteacher confessing to spending thousands of dollars a year just to get “the good weave.” That type of spending on a hairdo begs the question, Do black women need to get their priorities adjusted when it comes to their hair? Rock doesn’t see it that way.
“Look, black women aren’t the only ones that will spend a lot of money on one particular thing,” he explains. “What do you call the guys that spend thousands of dollars on cars, rims or jewelry? To me, it’s the same thing. So you can’t be hard on the black women who choose to spend that type of money on hair.”
Spending thousands of dollars may be excessive on a teacher’s salary, but in Long’s profession, it has become the status quo. When dealing with society’s perception of black hair and beauty, many entertainers feel compelled to stray from natural hair, and invest in a look deemed more acceptable by mainstream America. According to Long, it’s time be comfortable in your own skin … or your own hair, if you so choose.
“I think that we should embrace what we have instead of trying to emulate another image … like the idea that Farrah Fawcett’s hair is the way that we should all look. There’s way more power in the Afro. Look at Angela Davis,” she says.
Speaking of power, first lady Michelle Obama yields a ton of it in her own right. While she may not rock an Afro like Davis, Long hopes her impact will be equally important. “What Michelle Obama says to women of color is that you can be a brown-skinned, beautiful, black, educated woman who represents this country,” she says. “I feel excited about that because I’m hoping that the trend spills over into Hollywood.”
The likelihood of the trend spilling over into Hollywood may very well begin with the box-office success of Good Hair. So on the eve of such an important release, does Rock have any final instructions? “Just make sure you tell people to go see it,” he implores. “But don’t tell them that the movie has a message. Black people don’t like message movies. If you tell them that, they might save their money and go see Friday, Part 6. So whatever you do, just tell them that the movie is funny, and let the message sneak up on them.”
Your secret is safe with us, Chris.
