Blaqbee
What does your company do?
I am a Makeup and Hair Designer working in film and television. I was trained in Cape Town and later ventured into working in Johannesburg on local productions. I have been designing on Hollywood and British productions since 2020.
What is your biggest success?
I have been nominated and awarded 12 times both locally and internationally. I was in the Variety Oscars predictions in 2023 and ranked number 3 for my work as the Makeup and Prosthetics Designer on The Woman King. Our team was awarded with an honorary award at the Hamilton awards in California in 2023. I got recognition in the USA with interviews with Hello Beautiful, InStyle Magazine and Forbes Chicago and more for my work. I am now represented by one of the top makeup and hair agencies in the world; Milton Agency who are based in London and LA. I also ventured in scoring (film music) and I have independently landed 4 songs that I wrote, produced and performed on 4 productions, 2 in London for a BBC series and a play as well as 2 in South Africa for Mzansi Magic and eTV. I continue to make my mark working with A listers and other high calibre actors such as Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Christina Millian (on a film produced by Alicia Keys), Laurence Fishburne and many more. I have two films in post production due to come out this year, MySpy 2 featuring Dave Bautista, Ken Jeong and Chloe Coleman as well as London Calling staring Josh Duhamel and Rick Hoffman.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
It has been really challenging to find room in this world of makeup as all my equals in the industry are white women. I have not ever had anyone to mentor or advise me as I have not had an easy time being welcomed at my level. I have had to just figure out my own way of doing things and I’m really proud of how far I’ve come. I have had no agent until 2023 when I signed with Milton so I have single handedly managed to reach Hollywood and the UK and Europe as a designer. I have had to learn how to be an outcast and underdog in what I do and it has come with a lot of mental and emotional strain. Fighting my battles and those in my team as we push our way into an industry that lacks black women in senior positions. As hard as this all has been, it has been worth it.
