CN: Do you believe your curls have ever prevented you from getting a role or being cast as a particular character? Have they ever helped?
Yvette: I believe having big, curly hair has helped me book in this industry, especially when it comes to commercials. When I started doing commercials ten years ago, no one had hair like mine. All the girls booking commercials back then were relaxed. In fact, the only black woman with natural hair at all back then was Diane Amos, the Pine Sol Lady. She and her braids paved the way for natural hair to be accepted in commercials. I hope my curly hair did the same. I do see a lot of curly haired girls in commercials these days. And I’ve been blessed to meet commercial sisters (with gorgeous locs and relaxed hair, etc…”> who’ve told me that they went out and got curly wigs because they saw how much I was booking with my hair. And they rock those curly wigs and book like crazy! LOL! They think it’s the hair, I know it’s their talent. But whatever the reason, it’s nice to see curly hair (real or wigged”> having its moment.
CN: When on set, do you do your own hair or allow a stylist to step in?
Yvette: On “Community” I let my fabulous hairstylist, Pauletta, do whatever she wants to my hair. She understands curly hair and I trust her. When I guest star on another show or do a movie or commercial, I usually come with my hair already done. It’s just easier. I’ve found that most folks immediately put water or some other mystery product on curls. I don’t know about anybody else’s hair, but mine will frizz up and act a fool with mystery products and random water. LOL! I use water to slick my hair down when it’s crazy, never to style it. And I’ve tried so many products I know the ones that work. You don’t want to be a product guinea pig right before you’re about to go in front of a camera. That’s a recipe for disaster. I’ve talked to other actor friends with natural hair and we all have a tendency to come to set camera-ready or with a wig in hand. It’s just easier.
CN: What would you tell a woman who has yet to embrace her natural curls?
Yvette: I feel like every black woman should go natural at least once in her life, just to see what she has! As I said before, most of us don’t know what’s growing out of our heads because we’ve been processed most of our lives. If you go natural and your texture is something you can’t or don’t wanna work with every morning, then it’s easy to go back to a press or relaxer or braids. But what if you have a beautiful head of kinky/curly spirals or ringlets just waiting to have their moment to shine? All curly/kinky heads of hair are different; but I find them all to beautiful! The journey from processed to natural is not easy, if you don’t opt for the “big chop” the transition process could take over a year. But I’ve found that seeing my hair grow out of my head in its unruly, crazy way is freeing. My hair is big, wild and crazy just like me. It’s unique…as I am unique. It’s truly something cool to embrace…if only for a little while.
CN: Tell us about your current or upcoming projects!
Yvette: I currently play “Shirley” on the NBC comedy “Community”. It airs every Thursday night at 8pm. I also voice one of the characters on the animated show,”Pound Puppies”, it will airs on the brand new network for kids called The Hub. Between those two projects I stay pretty busy.
CN: Is there anything you’d like to say to the CurlyNikki.com community?
Yvette: Just “thank you” for thinking of me for a feature on the site!
