Teyonah Parris is opening up about the real reason she prefers to rock her natural hair on the big and small screen, and the message she's sending is so important.
During a recent interview with the Wrap — before the SAG-AFTRA strike — Teyonah shared the importance of representation and why she believes Black women and young Black girls deserve to see hair like theirs glorified.
“I’ve been very intentional for maybe a little over a decade now about making sure that as a Black woman, and as Black women, we feel seen in these spaces,” Teyonah said. “Just how we are. How we naturally are.”
Whether your hair is curly, kinky, 3A or 4C, or something in between, Teyonah said she wants to be a part of that visibility for women.
Teyonah — who became a first-time mom this year — knows how meaningful and powerful it can be to see images like that during childhood.
And that mindset was no different when she took on the role of Yo Yo in Netflix's They Cloned Tyrone — a nod to Blaxploitation films of the 1970s.
“I’ve been very blessed to be able to work with storytellers, directors, who could also stand behind that, and are like, ‘Yeah, sure, why wouldn’t she or couldn’t she have natural hair?’”
And superheroes are no exception! Teyonah took on the role of Monica Rambeau, a Marvel force to be reckoned with, in WandaVision on Disney+. She'll continue the role in the upcoming MCU film The Marvels.
"So to play Monica Rambeau, who is a Black female superhero, chocolate skin, big natural hair — it was like, ‘We’re going to do this right, and we’re going to do it well.’"
Teyonah is grateful for the the support she's received throughout her career. She's looking forward to sharing more natural looks on screen.
