Page 13 - The Culture Report Issue #2

The Culture Report

A quick look at Martin’s Instagram Stories while she was filming not only showed the Black Girl Magic in

front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well. Martin says having representation on both sides of

the lens was “very meaningful” to her.

“I was very comfortable [on set] because they were my people,” she continued. “Working on a bunch of

sets, you kind of don’t see that often. The more comfortable you are, the more confident you are — in

how you say your lines or how you perform in a

certain scene because you’re working with great
people, who will watch over you and won’t let

you down.”

It also gave her the creative confidence to rock an

iconic natural hairstyle onscreen — something

she had never done before although the Afro is

her preferred style when she’s not at work. She

said the retro style makes her feel “free.”

“I’ve never worn an Afro…in any performance or for a character,” Martin, who’s played Diane Johnson

on ABC’s Blackish, a sitcom centered on a Black family, for more than 100 episodes, said. “And when I
was able to create such a strong character where she can do whatever she wants, I wanted her to wear

her natural hair and be confident. No one can take her down — all of that would be in her hair.”

Martin hopes that her feature film debut inspires other teens to dream bigger.

“A lot of people will say different stuff like, ‘You can’t do it.’ They’ll say no before I even say anything,”

the actress reflects. “You just have to believe in yourself and there’s a reason they might say no because

they probably haven’t seen it before.”

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