Jennifer Hudson Wore at Least 12 Wigs for Her Position as Aretha Franklin in ‘Respect’ — Interview

Although staying true to Franklin’s signature beehive was of utmost significance, Martin says that they weren’t as involved about recreating the singer’s precise make-up. “We weren’t going to imitate Aretha Franklin’s look as a result of we did not need to be distracting,” he explains. “Aretha had sturdy brows. I did not need to make the brows as sturdy on Jennifer as a result of that might have been a degree of emphasis.” Martin expresses. The intent, as a substitute, was to focus extra on the pure make-up and easy radiance that was favored — whether or not by alternative or due to different circumstances — by Black girls on the time. “After I met with Liesl, she was uninterested in African-American girls portrayed in movies and TV exhibits with a lot make-up on,” Martin says. So, they saved the make-up minimal, however not and not using a little finesse or nods to among the singer’s most memorable beats: her signature cat-eye, her gold lip, and even the mole she generally strategically positioned on her face.

One factor that was distinctive about this manufacturing, Martin shares, is that there have been a number of Black staffers engaged on it, a moderately unusual prevalence within the film trade. “You usually do not see a trailer stuffed with African-People on a mission. It was a beautiful factor to see that it was individuals like myself telling Aretha Franklin’s story,” he says. However even with so many Black individuals on set, Davis notes that his biggest problem was discovering sufficient hairstylists that would work with pure, Afro-textured hair, particularly when it got here to styling extras for the church scenes, concert events, and something that required bigger crowds. 

That, coupled with the restrictions in place because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, made it tough for them to maintain up with the fixed stream of hairstylists (as much as 25, as Davis says) they wanted on set. “We have been pulling from wherever. At the moment in Georgia, the whole lot was similar to now — actually, actually busy. It turned a problem of discovering individuals to fill these days,” Davis shares. You would not count on a spot like Georgia, with its large Black inhabitants to have a dearth of hairstylists with expertise styling textured hair. However, contemplating the truth that many cosmetology colleges nonetheless do not require coaching in that space, with the ability to work with kinks and tight curls turns into a specialty versus the norm. The longer term is wanting extra promising, although. Louisiana lately handed a regulation that requires all hair licensing exams to have a piece on textured hair. Which means if you are going to be an authorized stylist in Louisiana, you must know the right way to work with Afro hair. Let’s hope different states comply with swimsuit. 

Aretha Franklin’s legacy earned her the title Queen of Soul. Capturing that essence on movie was a gaggle effort, one buttressed by the extremely proficient members of the hair and make-up staff. Davis and Martin’s collaborative efforts introduced Franklin’s — and by proxy, Black girls’s magnificence to the forefront. 

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