Storm Reid says it 'feels dehumanizing' and 'disheartening' when stylists on set 'don't understand Black hair'
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Lauren Edmonds
Jan 20, 2022, 02:07 IST
Storm Reid at the 2021 Met Gala.Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Storm Reid was interviewed by People about a partnership with Black hair care brand Dark & Lovely.
Reid, 18, spoke about the lack of diversity regarding on-set stylists and Black hair.
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Storm Reid opened up about the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry, saying it's "disheartening" encountering stylists on set who "don't understand Black hair."
Reid said that she hasn't always "felt comfortable" trying different natural hairstyles while on set or in work environments, even though she wants to express herself and showcase an "appreciation for Black hair."
"It has been a struggle for me specifically on sets when it comes to the hair disparity and people not just knowing how to deal with Black hair," Reid told People's Vanessa Etienne. "And, in a way, it feels dehumanizing … when it's the time for your hair to look nice and there's nobody on set to be able to help you achieve that."
The "Euphoria" actress added, "They really just don't understand Black hair care. It's disheartening and it's heartbreaking."
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Reid continued that her hair wasn't properly taken care of until she scored the lead role in the 2018 film, "A Wrinkle in Time." People reported that director Ava DuVernay hired Kim Kimble as the head stylist on that film.
"I think that changed my life," Reid told the outlet. "It changed the way I saw that we can have these Black department heads really be there and take care of you."
"From that point on, unless I have braids and I know how to take care of them myself, I've requested on every set to have someone — whether they're the department head or not — who understands my hair, that cares about Black hair care, that is actually listening to me," she said.
Representatives for Storm Reid did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Black women in media have spoken out about the disparity several times. In 2017, model Londone Myers posted an Instagram video purported to show stylists ignoring her during Paris Fashion Week because they don't know how to work with textured hair.
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