Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1433300
42 • THE ARTISAN WINTER 2022 six braids, just for time. And for the beads, we had to do it on a half wig, as opposed to braiding their hair and beading it. We just did the front half of the hair that makes those eight braids, so that was less time. So, those kinds of things we adjusted for value of making film. What kind of input came from the director, Reinaldo Marcus Green? JACENDA BURKETT: Rei is lovely to work for, lovely and always engaging. He was always open to ideas or suggestions. Because we know, as hair and make-up artists, what works faster… What Carla was saying about the beads, things like that. For the makeup look, Rei just said, "I don't want them to look like Hollywood athletes. I want them to look like the athletes they were. When they're playing tennis, I want to see sweat. I want grit, I want grime. We're not making fluff here. We're making their story." And that stuck with me the whole time. He really wanted this movie to not be fluff. He wanted it to be their reality. And so, that was the thing for me, especially when it came to tennis players and the matches. Let them sweat. Let them breathe heavy. Let it all happen organically, and then I would go in and, of course, add more if we needed to. He was very involved and very specific about things. He wanted the beads scene to be a powerful moment in the film. Carla killed it. It gave me chills when I saw her, that look. It did. CARLA FARMER: He was very clear about that in the script—the beads would work in the finale. He didn't want to see them until then, and I understand now why. And when we were matching people, he wanted us to get as close as we could. Make a note, a nod to that person, but not so much that it just looked ridiculous on the actor. So, we had to make it fit the actor but also give a nod to the actual person we were representing. Talk to me about why those beads—that hair style on Venus, which became something of a trademark—were so key, so powerful. CARLA FARMER: Because this is about King Richard—this man who had no formal education with tennis. He is a self-made man, who was very proud. I mean, where did this man come from? He had the audacity, the courage, and the knowledge. It was a God- given assignment, I believe, to develop these two young princesses into queens. And the fact that Oracene had the vision to say, "Okay, not only are you African American tennis players, but you are from Compton, and this is who you are. We are going out there unapologetically, and we are going to represent us and your family, and without saying it, this is who you are." And it was a brilliant move. It really explains without words who they were and what was going on behind the scenes. All of the moments that are captured in the movie—like with the reporter and Richard saying, "Why are you trying to beat my daughter down?"—it all gets represented in that one moment. What about their coaches? Jon Bernthal as Rick Macci, Tony Goldwyn as Paul Cohen. Jon said that every time he came out of his trailer, the girls would laugh at his bowl haircut and mustache. JACENDA BURKETT: When Jon came in, he had a little bit of growth, and he let me just shape it to that ridiculousness that it was. He just kept saying to me, "My wife isn't kissing me anymore!" I was like, "I'm sorry." (LAUGHS) He would also say, "My daughter thinks I look like a dork." He was so much fun. And so good—he just turned into this character. I loved it. CARLA FARMER: Yeah, and his character actually had a bowl cut, but honestly, we ended up adapting it for Jon, but it was still ridiculous. (LAUGHS) I think it is great. We have Jon Bernthal—who's played a lot of darker characters in his amazing career—playing this bouncy, fun guy. And the look matched with the character is seamless. It's such a delight. It's wonderful. CARLA FARMER: Thank you. The movie covers a lot of ground during a particular period in the family's story. It's so much to execute… L-R: Jon Bernthal as Rick Macci and Carla Farmer. Photo by Chiabella James; Tony Goldwyn as Paul Cohen