The entire production team was very intentional about not only researching the plausibility of the film’s plotline but also ensuring they paid homage to the surroundings of Harlem. As someone who grew up in Harlem, what does it mean to be a part of a project that highlights your community?
It meant the world to me. One of the major pluses of the project… When I saw the synopsis and the fact it would be filmed in Harlem, I was like, “Oh yeah, this is mine.” It felt amazing to go back home to a warm and genuine welcome and be able to be back for this project. And it was also fascinating to see how much the neighborhood had changed over the years because I’ve had a salon out there and have always been back and forth. But still, to be there on set and see how the art department could completely dress up a building to look like how we used to look in the ’90s and ’00s, that shit felt good. Living a little bit in how it used to be like [and seeing] it again before it changed for a little bit was special.
We can only imagine how special that was, especially considering how much generification has changed so many boroughs in New York. One of the other things that’s beautiful about this film is that, in addition to honoring how the city used to look, it feels like the costumes, hair, and makeup reflect the community. What was it like to work with the costume and makeup departments for this film? Was it a collaborative effort?
Oh yeah, absolutely. Everything was a collaborative effort. And I think that that’s what made it dope. … Some of us came from different eras, and some of us came from different places, but we all came together to, you know, make that happen and create Inez.
We’ll finish with one more question. Obviously, you’ve spent your career being a multi-hyphenate creative—from working in music to fashion to films. Now that this film has come out, how do you hope to continue to push yourself forward, and how do you hope people perceive this…
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