In the realm of television and film, where visual storytelling is paramount, the art of hairstyling plays a crucial role in bringing characters to life. Among the celebrated artists in this field is Rukey Styles, an Emmy-nominated Hair Department Head renowned for her innovative and culturally rich contributions.
Rukey’s illustrious career spans an impressive array of projects, from the high-stakes world of Divergent to the gritty realism of Chicago Med, each showcasing her exceptional talent and unique perspective on beauty.
Her most recent work on Disney‘s Saturdays – aired from March 24 to May 12, 2023 – has garnered significant attention, not just for its vibrant portrayal of Afro-American culture but also for its heartfelt depiction of a youth-driven, diverse narrative.
As Rukey continues to shape the landscape of hairstyling in film and television, we had the opportunity to delve into her journey and creative process in an exclusive interview. She shared insights into her early life, revealing how her upbringing influenced her perspective on beauty and hairstyling.
She recounted pivotal moments and influences that led her to the entertainment industry, and detailed her approach to incorporating Afro-American culture into the vibrant, youth-driven world of Disney’s Saturdays. Additionally, she discussed the significance of her Emmy nomination for Outstanding Makeup and Hairstyling and her aspirations for the future.
1. Can you share a bit about your early life and how your upbringing or experiences shaped your perspective on beauty and hairstyling?
Rukey: I grew up in a single-family middle-class home. Because my mother knew that her strength was in teaching children to read and not doing children’s hair, she sent me to the salon regularly. I didn’t appreciate beauty and the efforts that went into it until I saw myself and how I wanted to be seen. After somewhat growing up in my hairstylist’s chair, I started doing my own hair and realized I may have a desire to make people beautiful. Me being around my sister’s boyfriend, who was a hairstylist, created more interest in hair artistry for me.
2. Many individuals find unique paths into the entertainment industry. What were some pivotal moments or influences that led you to pursue a career in hairstyling for film and television?
Rukey: Before starting in the film and TV industry, I had a business where I performed non-surgical hair restoration services. Doing this allowed me to really focus on the little details that people who are not feeling like themself because of their hair loss would pay attention to. This detailing is what influenced them looking natural or like their pre hairloss self. It is because of my wig experience knowledge that led to the opportunity to work in theater, then TV, then FILM.
Work on Disney’s Saturdays:
3. “Saturdays” is garnering attention for its unique portrayal of a diverse cast and its celebration of Afro-American style. How did you approach incorporating Afro-American culture into the hair designs for the characters in the show?
Rukey: Well, this wasn’t hard to do. I was once these characters – young African American adolescent from the southside of Chicago. I saw my childhood in them, I used to go to the skating rink on Saturdays. My mother was a real skater. Like Paris, this was also my experience. It was just a matter of breaking down the characters to see who wears what style. I wanted each girl to have her own look that was unique to her character’s personality, including certain embellishments.
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4. The series follows a trio of friends creating an all-girls skate crew. How did you collaborate with the creative team to ensure that the characters’ hairstyles reflected both their individuality and the vibrant, youth-driven theme of the show?
Rukey: Everything starts with the words on the script. After taking notes from the script, I consult with the creators to make sure I see the characters as they wrote them. Then I talk to the actors to collaborate based on the character’s core styling, what my bosses want and learn the actor’s comfort level with the direction, throwing suggestions back and forth sometimes making changes and also creating alongside makeup and wardrobe.
Inspirations Behind Hair Looks:
5. In “Saturdays,” the characters’ hairstyles seem to carry a sense of nostalgia. Can you share some specific inspirations or references that influenced the hair designs, and how you balanced nostalgia with a modern, youth-oriented approach?
Rukey: You learn that there isn’t much new under the sun. Innovation in hairstyling can be combining existing, familiar, elements in new ways to create a new look.
There may be slight iterations that can make it an ode to the former style. Being innovative may mean combing 2 or more familiar components to create a new look overall.
We took the opportunity to style the 3 besties, incorporating throwback elements, such as the 1990s music video style, into the performance scenes, like the cypher scene that was reminiscent of a 1990’s music video in style of filming cinematically, wardrobe, makeup and hair. There was also an opportunity to do “Paris,” played by Danielle Jalade, in a TBoz inspired natural short style with braided sideburns and, “Ari,” played by Peyton Z Basnight, having 2 large ponytails and these and others were opportunities to pay homage to iconic styles of the past.
Emmy Nomination and Award Submissions:
6. Congratulations on your Emmy nomination for Outstanding Makeup and Hairstyling! What does this recognition mean to you, especially considering the impact of your work on “Saturdays” and other projects?
Rukey: Thank you, Arun. We learned about our nomination for the Children and Family Emmys, shortly after I wrapped “Saturdays”. It was great to feel seen as an artist. I remember explaining why I chose certain hair directions such as the father Trey, played by Bryan Clark. His hair changed over the years from a texturizer to natural locs because of the influence of his naturalista wife. I mean how many couples have we seen who were together for years start looking alike?
7. You’ve recently submitted your work on “Saturdays” for the MUAH awards. What aspects of the show’s makeup and hairstyling do you believe stand out and contribute to its potential success in this category?
Rukey: Our hair department did some crazy, fun stuff on “Saturdays”. I hope that our work and approach is noticed as being creative, informative, realistic and appropriately over the top when needed.
8. Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals in the realm of hairstyling for film and television? Are there specific projects or themes you hope to explore in the future?
Rukey: I have been blessed to work on projects that encompass a wide range of hairstyling needs, including period, glam, fantasy, character, contemporary, aging, special effects, and ethnic hairstyling. Any story can require a combination of these styles. I want to work on a project that will give space for styling that is authentic to the storyline and character growth, allowing my team. to bring out the essence of the narrative through hairstyling.
When all things are in alignment, including a great story and a dedicated team of cohesive collaborators, with me as the department head of hair, we can collectively bring out the best in my work and creativity. This effort will ultimately lead to the recognition of our hairstyling skills.
9. Finally, for emerging hairstylists inspired by your journey, do you have any advice or insights you’d like to share about breaking into the industry and thriving in a competitive field?
Rukey: Be well rounded because there’s no productions where all the actors wear the same hairstyle (If so, it’s a comedy) lol. Learn as much as you can about all hair types and textures.
Work in a salon, mess up some stuff so you can learn how to fix it. It’s about knowing what you do so well that you can do it promptly with ease but also can get the same result multiple ways if needed.
The interview was originally held in December 2023.
