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Jamika Wilson & Mia Neal First Black Women To Win Oscar for Hair And Makeup
The glam squad for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ made history with their hair and makeup win.
Two Black hairstylists have just made history as the first Black women to win an Oscar for makeup and hairstyling. Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson won the award alongside Sergio Lopez-Rivera for their work on Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom drama starring Viola Davis.
[SEE ALSO: Black Hollywood Shines On 2021 Oscars Red Carpet]
Neal and Wilson first made history in March as the first Black women to be nominated in the category since it was created in 1981.
It should be noted that while Neal served as department head and hair and wig designer for the film, Wilson and Lopez-Rivera are Davis’ personal hairstylist and makeup artist, respectively. This reflects on Black Hollywood’s previous calls to have more hairstylists on set who know how to style textured hair as well as for them to be able to bring on their own styling team. Wilson previously worked with Davis on her other projects, including Widows and How to Get Away With Murder.
“Thank you to our ancestors who put the work in, who were denied and never gave up,” said Neal, during the trio’s acceptance speech. “I stand here as Jamika and I break this glass ceiling with so much excitement for the future — because I can picture Black trans women standing up here, and Asian sisters, our Latina sisters, and Indigenous women. I know one day it won’t be unusual or groundbreaking. It will just be normal.”
Neal’s recent credits include Uncut Gems and Pose, for which she earned a 2019 Emmy nomination
“We look forward to the time when these questions are moot,” said Lopez-Rivera during a backstage conversation on diversity.
