Elle Lorrainemay look familiar to you.

Yet, Lorraine is seemingly undaunted by the heavy undertones of the film.

ELLE LORRAINE:It’s such an honest story.

Still of Elle Lorraine in the hulu movie Bad Hair In this horror satire set in 1989 Bad Hair follows an ambitious young…

Courtesy of Hulu

Off the bat, it was relatable there.

And then as this hair journey progressed in the script, I saw myself.

And how often would I get to be in a horror film?

still photo of elle lorraine in hulu’s bad hair she is lying on the floor screaming with a weave in

Courtesy of Hulu

So immediately I was like, “This is insane in the best way.”

And I would be honored to do anything that Justin creates.

ALLURE:“Insane in the best way.”

Photo of Elle Lorraine in Bad hair getting a weave done by Laverne Cox. In this horror satire set in 1989 Bad Hair…

Courtesy of Hulu

It’s true,Bad Hairis wildly unconventional.

What was the most challenging part of bringing this unique story to life for you?

EL:Well, the physical element of it.

Photo of Elle Lorraine at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. She is wearing thighlength box Briads an has on a white…

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We did practical effects.

Nearly everything that you’re watching was happening while we were doing it.

Just imagine these spools and hundreds of feet of hair and I’m acting and interacting with it constantly.

A still from Hulu’s Bad Hair with three women wearing natural hairstyles

Courtesy of Hulu

I wasliterallyin it… and I found hair all over my apartment for like a month after.

ALLURE: What do you think are the biggest differences and similarities between you and your character, Anna?

Pushing through that has to be a part of who you become.

I definitely relate there.

I fought for people to see me for a long time.

You know, I think Anna was almost willing to doanythingto get [success].

I’m not quite willing to do anything.

ALLURE:The film is set in 1989.

How do you thinkBad Hairspeaks to this fight?

People are still at the forefront, trying to confirm that ourbeauty is seen, recognized, and honored.

I think without films like this and without blatant conversation, the needle will be moved slower.

We’re taught that our hair is painful, expensive, and difficult.

I’ll definitely get one again, I enjoy changing it up!

And I literally had never been with my hair.

I had no relationship with it.

That was really important on my personal journey to love and figure out who I am as an entirety.

ALLURE:Did working on this film in any way influence your own relationship with your hair?

I just thought about that recently.

I think it was actually, unconsciously, even more freeing.

It’s really cool.

Why do you think Black horror stories are so necessary right now?

EL:Because it takes us seeing ourselves to get to dream even further.

We had the best time.

ALLURE:This is your first major leading role.

Are you interested in doing more horror movies after this experience?

Creatively, where are you hoping to go next?

I’ll be like, “I can’t believe I did that!”

I feel that way about this movie.

I just want to play amazing characters who are well-written and have full arcs and are multidimensional.

I don’t want to think about any one piece as like, just a genre.

I want to have a creative and incredible career.

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