While Zazie Beetz‘s hair is a marvel to behold, the actress herself wasn’t always confident in it. Beetz opened up about how her natural hair made her feel insecure due to past negative comments. The actress revealed that growing up, her natural hair “intrigued” many people. When she decided to pursue an acting career, she received a different type of reaction to her hair.
How Zazie Beetz handled her hair as an up-and-comer
The Berlin native was told by various casting directors that even though she had the talent, her hair needed to be more “CBS,” leading to insecurities and uneasiness for future auditions. “I don’t know if I was cast off of talent instead of look, that’s my insecurity,” the actress told the publication. Beetz said that she knew her light skin got her a lot of auditions, but it seems that her hair would cause problems in the casting process. While many may be shocked by this, it wasn’t until a few years ago that natural hair became more accepted in the media. Many actresses have shared their concerns with over-processing their hair just to get certain roles and later regretting it.
Despite the criticism from casting agents about her appearance, Beetz told Vogue in May 2018 that straightening her natural hair was “not an option.” She told the magazine that it wasn’t until 2016, when she was offered the role of Vanessa “Van” Keefer on the show Atlanta, that she saw an opportunity where she was finally allowed to fully be herself.
“So many women come up to me, like, ‘Oh my God, that’s me!’ That’s what has been wonderful about Atlanta. It’s allowed me to celebrate my identity,” the actress stated. From there, things turned around for the starlet. The Easy actress was then cast in the superhero film Deadpool 2 opposite Ryan Reynolds.
Beetz recalled her shock when she learned that the directors of the film wanted her hair exactly the way it was. This was a surprise, since the comic-book character, Domino, sported a sleek-straight hairstyle. Due to her past experiences, she was taken aback by the decision.
Zazie Beetz beats the odds
The 29-year-old originally began acting in 2013 and had small roles in several films and shows. Beetz’s breakthrough came when she starred in the aforementioned FX comedy-drama as the on-and-off again girlfriend of Earnest Marks, the series’ main character played by show creator Donald Glover.
Beetz also starred in the Oscar-nominated film Joker alongside Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character’s love interest. The actress’s next project, Nine Days, is slated to release later this year. She also has two movies and an Amazon series in the works.
No matter how busy she is, Beetz still keeps up her hair. She makes her own concoction by mixing up coconut, olive, and jojoba oils with vanilla extract and shea butter. Even for skincare, Beetz relies on her method and make-up techniques that she feels most comfortable with.