Janet says Hollywood is like “weave city.”
CN: So in the years post “Fresh Prince,” you’ve worn your natural texture. Do you think this has had any influence on your career?
JH: I’ve grown tired of the bullshit in Hollywood. It’s like weave city there. I’ve always had a real attitude about who I am, and have always loved my natural hair. And everybody doesn’t appreciate that. If somebody wants to do my hair for a show, it’s going to have to be a wig. When I did “One Life to Live,” I allowed them to press out the front of it, and I didn’t even want them to do that. Then I tried the weave thing and hated that… it felt like I had a dog on my head. I could not stand it. I think I had a weave for a day. I took a seam ripper and ripped the threads out, which took out half of my hair. So I shaved my head again!
So I’ve never been afraid of not having hair or having hair. I think we’re beautiful no matter what we do. My natural story is that I love my hair. I absolutely will not press my hair for anybody’s job. That’s just it. If you want to hire Janet Hubert, you’re going to have to take her as she is, or put a wig on it. Period.
And I understand that it’s a part of the process as an actress. But, in this era of the blonde thing, which I abhor, it makes it very hard. I absolutely find it so sad that the bluest eye is upon us. And I feel so sad when I see a black woman with blonde hair… sad that it has come to this. Also, there are too many black men trying to tell our stories about our hair. Too many comments and too much negativity associated with us as black women. The whole funny thing about wearing a weave and “don’t’ touch my hair”… I hated the movie “Good Hair.” I thought it was an unbelievable insult to black women and I just don’t understand why people feel that they can make a joke out of us all the time. I’m a little tired of it. I consider our hair beautiful, no matter how you choose to wear it. But it’s when women feel that they have to have this hair… that it’s the hair that makes them beautiful, that’s the problem. I can’t even go into a store and find a black wig anymore!
I went to the local beauty store recently and asked the woman there if she had “this wig in black.” Her response was, “Oh, no—everybody likes the blonde hair!” And she was looking at my hair and asked, “Is that all your hair?” And instead of taking my answer, she put her hands in my head to see if she could feel tracks… because I had this giant bush. And I said to her, “Excuse me, but I do not know you, and I don’t know where your hands have been. You did not have permission to put your hands in my head.” It’s funny that even with natural hair, people still don’t think it’s your hair.
CN: You don’t know whether to be flattered or offended.
JH: Exactly! Anyway, you asked me about my natural hair and work. I know I probably lost a few jobs by not pressing my hair. I remember going on an audition back in the day for Dark and Lovely. Didn’t happen. And I also have to share my disappointment in the hair books, in the magazines, even “Essence,” where we’re told to love our natural selves, but they have more straight hair in those magazine than you can shake a finger at. We have never been accepted as beautiful by the masses with natural hair.
