A review on the limited Netflix series, Self Made.
By Chantel Lewis
Self-Made is a ground-breaking series that remains important at this moment because of how transporting it feels promoting an inspiring story at a time when we need it most. The series is available now on Netflix for a limited amount of time so go and watch it for yourselves as it will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to do nothing but good.
“Hair is beauty, Hair is emotion, Hair is our heritage, Hair tells us who we are, where we’ve been and where we are going” – Octavia Spencer as Madam C.J Walker
Self-Made is a limited Netflix mini-series that was recently released in March 2020 and is inspired by the story of Madame C.J. Walker the first-ever female self-made millionaire. The series follows the story of the main protagonist Sarah Breedlove, an African American washerwoman living in poverty and loses her hair to stress as she faces heartbreak from the passing of her first husband, she then makes it her life’s mission to make black beauty appreciated and cared for.
The four-part series brings the story of Black hair advocate and businesswomen C.J. Walker for the first time onscreen. Being the firstborn of six children, Sarah combatted the blows of familial betrayal and the fight to revolutionize black haircare. The story is one of adoration, resourcefulness and strength against post-slavery, racial and gender oppression.
Self- Made is inspired by the novel “On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J Walker” written by Walkers’ great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles. The series stars an impressive and influential performance from Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer who has starred in other powerful and important films such as Hidden Figures and The Help. Octavia’s portrayal of Madame C.J Walker emanates strength and vulnerability as she seamlessly keeps the on-screen presence and draws the attention of the viewers from the first line “It came to me in a dream” from episode one entitled "The Fight of the Century".
The impressive period costumes and stunning sets including the beautiful variety of hats on both the men and women, as costume designer Karyn Wagner paid a lot of attention to small details and compares the job to be heaven. it's been told that she took inspiration from the work of civil rights activist W.E.B Du Bois, studied "The Souls of Black Folk" a book from 1903.
“Self-Made” is unashamed in its adaptations and observations of the experiences and struggles of the life of a black person in the late 1800s. The longstanding cultural battles of colourism loom large over Madam C.J Walker’s story. Carmen Ejogo’s performance as hero turned villain Addie Munroe, plays reminded us that hair is not favourable for women of colour but compelling and often serves as a measure of woman’s worth. The series does a compelling job of exploring the wide-ranging nature of Blackness at that time. To see a series uplifting racial progress and success minus the authority of white idealist is overdue.
One of the many heartfelt moments through the series is watching the relationship of a Walker and her daughter Lelia played by Tiffany Haddish. Hardly ever acknowledged Lelia who is often considered as the reckless daughter with no sense of a business mind who diminished the Walker beauty empire by her love of parties and never matching her mother’s affection for business and labour loving lifestyle. Lelia and Madam C.J W walker later bonded once she became a pioneer for the Walker Beauty Brand.
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