A new hair and makeup renaissance for black actors appears to be on the horizon, thanks to female artisans working in three films from the recent period: “The Woman King,” “Till” and “A Jazzman’s Blues.”
Braiding, twisting, and placement were a staple of characters in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King,” set in 1823 in the African kingdom of Dahomey, now known as Benin. Head of Poetry Department Louisa Anthony conducted research and teamed up with local South Africans to secure an excellent cast in the film, starring Viola Davis.
Although a historian and research specialist were on set, there was very little photography from that period, so the makeup team relied mostly on sketches. “A Google search was very helpful going back to discover hundreds of years of hairdressing and braiding in Africa to try to combine today and yesterday into one creative look that preserves the authenticity of the Agoji tribe,” says Anthony.
Knowing that black hair in its natural state can sometimes lack moisture, the African women of Anthony’s team provided juice, berry products and palm oil. It’s rare to have a black woman at the helm of a movie, and Anthony particularly enjoyed collaborating with Prince-Blythewood and implementing her vision.
“There was a sense of connection to the African women warriors, the brotherhood struggle, and the strength and legacy they championed,” Anthony says. Both women aim to keep the film as original as possible, while “taking into account how we wanted these images to be shown on screen,” adds Anthony.
A Google search of “The Woman King’s” Louisa Anthony helped create an authentic look for the Agoji tribe.
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By comparison, there have been many mammy tail images of artisans to draw from while researching her looks. Emmett’s mother was active in the civil rights movement after her son’s execution, giving speeches for the NAACP that are documented in photographs available online. Mamie Till was an elegant, sophisticated and educated woman with an influential job in Chicago – and star Danielle Didweiler’s appearance in Chinoni Choco needed to reflect that.
“In the 1950s, hairstyles were achieved by curling hair with paper bags and rollers,” says Deaundra Metzger, Head of Hair Department. “In essence, Chinoni just wanted to reflect who Mami was at her core.”
Meanwhile, head of makeup, Denise Tunnell, said she had “a family member who lived in Chicago and Mississippi in 1955 and got research directly from those photos.”
I used a vibrant red lipstick from Revlon and avoided powder to make sure black skin had a beautiful, natural glow on display. “I used a tinted moisturizer that isn’t as heavy as liquid foundation,” Tunnell says. “You’ll be able to see the skin, but with just a little more of that glow.”
One of the first black makeup artists to be accepted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Marietta Carter-Narcis recently addressed Tyler Perry’s “A Jazzman’s Blues.” The story spans decades, so Carter-Narcis had to make a make-up that was not associated with a particular era, showing aging and the incorporation of prosthetics.
Her solution to Solea Pfeiffer’s romantic heroine Leanne: a simple tube of vibrant red on her lips made her face come alive; nails devoid of gels or polish; and semi-soft lashes without liner, creating definition while letting eyes stand out naturally.
Due to the amount of melanin present in black skin, age is often relatively difficult to determine. Carter-Narcis showed off Princess Fan’s aging as Hattie Mae, Bayou’s mother, Lien’s young love mother, by applying makeup to her hands. “We simply took pictures of Amira’s hands and her mother as a guide,” she says.
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