The natural hair movement has been going full speed ahead for the last decade-plus, with so many Black women ditching the creamy crack and opting to embrace their curls and tap into their creative sides with natural protective styles. Slowly but surely, the internet was filled with countless must-have product lists for natural hair and YouTube step-by-step guides on how to pull off the hottest natural hair protective trends. However, even as the outside world made the leap over to natural hair paradise, Hollywood was still behind for many years.
Thankfully, over the last few decades of entertainment, we have seen more and more leading ladies showing us how to embrace and rock natural looks.
Because representation matters, and there's just something about watching a TV show and seeing someone who looks like you proudly showcasing their hair in fros, braids, twists, and other natural and protective styles, let's look at 14 characters from some of our favorite shows who effortlessly rocked their natural coils and other dope protective styles over the years.
Nola Darling in 'She’s Gotta Have It'
Netflix
Each season of the short-lived Netflix original, we watched Nola Darling juggle her career, relationships, and life in general all while rocking the cutest braids, curly styles, and headwraps.
Denise Huxtable in 'The Cosby Show'
NBC
Known as the wild-child of the Huxtable household, Denise was always making bold choices in both fashion and hair. Her long, waist-length locs were the first time I could remember seeing dreadlocks on primetime television, and she wore it so well.
Zoey Johnson in 'Grown-ish'
Freeform
Even before landing this spinoff show Grown-ish, Yara Shahidi's character Zoey Johnson had been showing us a plethora of new ways to style natural hair with side do's, wash-n-go's, and cute accessories on Black-ish.
Vanessa “Van” Keefer in 'Atlanta'
FX
Zazie Beetz's Van is the super sarcastic and straight to the point on-again/off-again girlfriend and baby mama to Donald Glover's Earn who always drops Twitter-worthy quotes when she's on-screen. Aside from her wit, you always see Van either rocking a simple curly fro or jazzing her up her hair into a style almost as memorable as her infamous Drake line.
Moesha Mitchell in 'Moesha'
Matthew Rolson/United Paramount Network
"Mo to the, E to the". Almost two decades later and the theme song for Moesha still rings in our heads. The other thing we can't forget is how Moesha set the standard for rocking braids on primetime television, and each episode she would find a new way to style them.
Anissa Pierce/Thunder in 'Black Lightning'
Black Lightning/CW
Sporting killer outfits and hairdo's, Thunder kicked butt as TV's first Black lesbian superhero in CW's hit show Black Lightning. Portrayed by actress Nafessa Williams, Thunder always made sure her edges were laid before and after fighting crime.
Winifred “Freddie” Brooks in 'A Different World'
A Different World
The free-spirited, energetic and "woke" Freddie portrayed by Cree Summer was a fan favorite on A Different World. And her bouncy, golden coils were a part of her look. We loved when Freddie showed us how to still wear a bang with our natural curls. An icon!
Florida Evans in 'Good Times'
Good Times
When discussing characters who proudly stepped onto the screen in all their natural glory, we can't leave out Esther Rolle's character of Florida Evans in Good Times. Her character's 4C TWA was gracing the screen weekly before natural hair became a trend.
Rainbow Johnson in 'Black-ish'
ABC
The fabulous Tracee Ellis Ross has been serving us big-body curls since her days as Joan Clayton on the incomparable show Girlfriends, and this has not changed since the actress took on the role of anesthesiologist Rainbow Johnson in the ABC series Black-ish.
Issa Dee in 'Insecure'
Insecure/HBO
Issa Rae's stylist has had the hair game on lock since the onset of the show and it was no different during the most recent season of Insecure. We've seen the growth and development of Issa's natural hair from the short fro she sported in Season 1, to the high puffs and protective styles she debuted in Season 4. And with styling by Felicia Leatherwood, it's radiated black girl magic.
Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell in 'Sister, Sister'
Sister, Sister
Everyone's favorite fashionable Black twins from the 90s set the standard when it came to rocking big hair. Often seen accentuating their curls with hats and headbands, Tia and Tamera were hair goals for every thick-haired teen across America.
Beth Pearson in 'This Is Us'
NBC
Played by Susan Kelechi Watson, the matriarch of Randall Pearson's family leads with grace, lots of sass, and some of the best protective styles on TV, while also keeping her on-screen daughters in Black girl magic-worthy natural styles as well.
Maxine Shaw in 'Living Single'
Deborah Feingold/Getty Images
Maxine Shaw was a badass lawyer who brought her signature dreadlock bob to the corporate world with some fierce suits to match. Throughout the series, Living Single actress Erika Alexander played with different styles and lengths of her natural look and we took notes along the way!
Josie McCoy in 'Riverdale'
CW/Riverdale
Lead singer of the teen band Josie and the Pussycats, Josie is known to be seen rocking her natural hair in updos and mini-buns. And she never leaves the house without her iconic cat ears, which just elevates her curls to the next level.
Honorable Mention: Susie Carmichael - Rugrats
Nickelodeon
In the world of animation, Susie was showing young black girls everywhere how to rock their natural pigtails with the colorful ribbons at the end. When the spinoff Rugrats: All Grown Up aired, we got a glimpse of teenaged Susie still showing off her longer, natural tresses. Voiced by another entry on this list, Cree Summer, Susie was proof that representation matters, old and young.
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Featured image by Freeform.
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At the beginning of the year, we are being shown how significant 2025 will be for love. From March 1, 2025, until April 12, 2025, Venus, the planet of love and relationships, will be retrograde. Venus goes retrograde approximately every 18 months and hasn’t been retrograde since the Summer of 2023. With love taking a step back at the beginning of the year, we move through a time of understanding the emotional world better and letting go of trying to control outcomes here.
What Does 2025 Have in Store for Love?
It’s time to refocus your relationship priorities overall, and with this retrograde happening in both Aries and Pisces, Aries being the first sign of the zodiac and Pisces being the last; there is a chapter we are closing and a new one we are walking into.
Another significant factor that is influencing relationships this year, is Jupiter’s entry into Cancer. Jupiter brings blessings, abundance, luck, and expansion, and in water sign Cancer, brings these gifts to your emotions. Cancer rules emotional safety, foundations, close loved ones, family, support, and emotional well-being, and with Jupiter in this sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, we experience blessings in stability within love. This is a good year for building stronger foundations in love, aligning with those who are loyal and supportive, knowing what you need emotionally, and being a lot clearer on it.
Letting Go of the Past: The Astrological Theme of 2025
Overall, the guideline for the year when it comes to love is to focus on the bigger picture and let things work themselves out without forcing them to. Magic will come in for you this year when you can assess your needs and wants, let go of illusions or smoke and mirrors, and focus on the things you want for yourself rather than what you don’t. Your focus and beliefs on love are the priority right now, and things will be coming full circle for the better.
Read below to see your personal 2025 love forecast. Read for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
ARIES
2025 is one of the more significant years for you, Aries. A lot of the major transits are happening in your sign, which includes Venus retrograde in Aries at the beginning of the year, Neptune in Aries from March 2025 until 2039, and Saturn in Aries from May 2025 until 2028. Not to mention, Chiron, the wounded healer is currently in your sign until 2027.
What this means for you when it comes to love, is that you have learned a lot about where you want to be here, and it’s the year to implement more of these tools and knowledge of the heart.
This year for love is about honoring your integrity and what you need personally to thrive in life and creating that space to let it in. You need someone who will be there for you through whatever you are experiencing in life and not someone who adds to these challenges. This year is a time of rising above, and choosing better for yourself.
TAURUS
2025 for you when it comes to love, is all about perspective and taking better care of your heart, Taurus. Uranus, the planet of change, rebellion, progress, and upheaval, has been in your sign since 2019, and this year you get a break from all of the surprises. From Jul. 7, 2025, until Nov. 7, 2025, Uranus leaves your sign and enters Gemini, giving your mind and your heart some time to breathe.
This year you are being given the opportunity to see things for what they are, rather than what you fear them to be. You are able to see your relationship dynamics clearer, allowing you to feel more confident in what you are building and creating for yourself in this area of your life. What you are working on this year is letting go of overthinking, and allowing things to play out the way they are meant to in love.
GEMINI
This year you are feeling in balance when it comes to love, Gemini. Relationships are important to you in life overall, as you are a relationship-oriented sign, but it can be difficult at times to keep the balance and perspective here. This year, with lucky Jupiter in your sign until June, you have the opportunity to be blessed with some fortunate circumstances personally and within romance.
You are feeling yourself this year, and this is attracting you success and new opportunities within love.
Uranus will also be in your sign this year from Jul. 7 until Nov. 7, and some surprises are in store for you. Pay attention to what happens in your love life during this period, as similar themes will be coming back around for you when Uranus officially enters its Gemini transit from 2026 - 2032. Overall, this year is about balancing what’s coming and going in love, and finding your peace within your inner confidence for it all.
CANCER
2025 for you, Cancer, is about stability in love. You are growing emotionally from the ground up, and are feeling a sense of support, confidence, romance, and receptivity in your love life this year. You are one of the lucky signs of 2025, and this is due to Jupiter, the planet of blessings, entering your sign from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026. While Jupiter is in your sign, your life expands and you are able to see the gifts of your world that may have been harder to come by previously.
This is a year of spending more time with your loved ones and feeling more heard and supported emotionally. Safety and security are especially important to you this year, and you are only entertaining the people who feel that way about you and provide that. Many Cancers will be expanding their families this year or developing a long-term relationship, and overall this is a year of feeling stronger when it comes to love.
LEO
When it comes to love this year for you, Leo, it’s about trusting your intuition and listening more to what your heart is telling you. There are not many major transits happening in Leo in 2025, which means there is a lot of room to grow, but you may be feeling a lack of support or encouragement to do so. A lot of Leos are taking a step back to look at where they are currently in love, and yearning for some change and a new direction here.
Neptune will be in your 9th house of adventure for most of this year, and you are being asked to get inspired and do things differently, but don’t take unnecessary risks in love that may not serve you in the long run.
It can be easy to get lost in the fantasy of love rather than the actual reality you’ll live in here, and taking more time to understand yourself, your relationships, and the dynamics in your love life will be necessary. Overall, your heart is healing this year and you are moving away from the past and creating your new future.
VIRGO
This year when it comes to love, you are going through changes that are aligning you closer to your goals and dreams here, Virgo. You are focused on making things work that you want to see bloom, and also letting go of putting effort into people that aren’t reciprocating the same energy. With the North Node entering your sister sign Pisces and the South Node moving into your sign from Jan. 11, 2025, until Jul. 26, 2026, you are doing a lot of letting go over the next year.
However, with the North Node being in your 7th house of love, new doors and gifts are also opening up for you and your partnerships. The more you can let go of perfection and overworking your mind and your heart, the more blessings you will experience when it comes to love this year. In 2025, you also have two Eclipses in your sign, and there are overall a lot of changes Virgos are moving through this year. Your main guidance for love is to stand by the things that serve your heart and release yourself from what burdens it.
LIBRA
Love is coming to fruition for you this year, Libra. You have been through a lot in your personal life these past few years, and walking into 2025, you are ready for some positive change. This is a year of feeling in balance with your personal goals and dreams, and what you are experiencing romantically and financially as well. Relationship dynamics are serving you and your sense of abundance, and many gifts are coming your way in love this year.
With Neptune, Chiron, and Saturn all being in your 7th house of love, your love life and partnerships are the main focus for you in 2025.
You are moving through changes, overcoming previous obstacles, and bringing back the dreamy energy here. With Chiron in the 7th, you are still doing some healing of the heart, but with Neptune now entering, it all feels a little more romantic and spiritual at the same time. This year is about believing in the impossible in love, taking care of yourself, and allowing someone else to take care of you as well.
SCORPIO
This year is all about opportunity when it comes to love, Scorpio. You have your eyes on the prize and are focused on what you want for yourself, but also how you want to show up for love as well. You have goals and intentions that you are setting for your love life this year, and a lot of them reflect the passion and strength you are feeling as you enter the year. Vesta is in your sign this year until September, and you have a spark within you that is a magnet for success and love. You are walking forward confidently and are feeling inspired, sexy, and magical this year.
This is a very sensual and powerful year for you, and this energy is being reflected in the relationship experiences you are having. Jupiter also enters your 9th house of adventure halfway through the year, and there is something special about the trips you are taking and the risks you are taking in love. Overall, this is a year of doing things your way and attracting love to you through your inner confidence and charisma.
SAGITTARIUS
This is a beautiful year of feeling balanced and abundant in love, Sagittarius. There is a lot of energy coming in and you are giving a lot of love as well. This sense of synergy you are feeling within your love life this year has a lot to do with Juno, the asteroid of soulmates, in your sign from Feb. 19 - Apr. 15. Your people are coming in and you have options this year, Sag.
This is a year of feeling loved for the inspiring, outgoing, and unique being you are, and meeting more people who match your energy.
Saturn also enters your 5th house of romance this year, and you are learning a lot through your experiences with others. You are learning how to be more confident in who you are and what you want for yourself and also recognizing the importance of making more time for fun and playful experiences. This is the year to see love as a more light-hearted experience and to not take yourself too seriously.
CAPRICORN
You are letting things come to you when it comes to love this year, Capricorn. You are feeling beautiful, capable, and worthy, and you are receiving the gifts that come from this sense of confidence and patience. This past year, you were setting a lot of new goals for yourself and your relationships, and in 2025, you are experiencing the results of these efforts.
Jupiter moves into your sister sign Cancer from June 9, 2025, until June 30, 2026, and enters your 7th house of love, partnerships, romance, marriage, and harmony. Your love life and experience of it all are expanding this year, and benevolent Jupiter is sending blessings to this area of your life. This is a year of things coming full circle for you in love, and you feel less confused about it all and more sure of yourself and what is becoming for you here.
AQUARIUS
Love is a highlight for you this year, Aquarius. You are coming together with another, and many Aquarius’ will be forming new relationships or growing within a strong relationship. You are experiencing the fruition of your dreams in love, and are also able to heal and let go of past emotional experiences that have been overwhelming for you in the past.
The North Node enters your 12th house of closure this year, and you are motivated towards change, cleaning house, and releasing the cobwebs of the past.
You are walking into new emotional experiences with less baggage and self-doubt, and are experiencing a fresh start in love. This is a year of asking for what you need emotionally and receiving it. Love is coming in for you in harmonious and magical ways, and you are rewriting your story in love in 2025.
PISCES
You are moving through a lot of changes when it comes to love in 2025, Pisces. This is a year of closure, healing, and giving yourself a fresh start, and the way you enter the year will be a lot different than the way you end it. The North Node of Destiny enters your sign this year, and the South Node of Karma enters your 7th house of love. So, a lot of your focus this year is on your personal goals and path, and there may be some neglect or lack of focus on your relationships.
This can create some discord with those close to you, and your guidance for this year is to try to balance the personal successes and wins you are experiencing, with the love changes that also need your attention right now. Know that what leaves your life this year is being replaced by something better, and also know that your healing doesn’t need to have a timeline and you can take as much time as you need to grow. Overall, you are turning a new page in love in 2025.
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I could lie to you and tell you it gets better, but really? It never does. Death is never a pleasant topic, and the feelings that come with it never dissipate. It never gets better. But it does get easier to manage. You start with learning the verbiage. “Mom is, Dad was.” “My mother lives in the Bay Area.” Painfully and very obviously pointing out that it’s just my mom. You learn to take five plates instead of six, and that sting that comes with it fades. It’s the reality of the situation.
Deagreez/ Getty Images
But grief management isn’t easy. Each year we have a ritual in our religion where my family and I go to a body of water and throw rice in, praying that my father’s afterlife is peaceful. But that really was the only ritual my family enforced. When I was in my 20s, my favorite routine around the holidays was to escape.
To run as far as I could from whatever I was feeling. There was no journaling. No therapy. It was drinking, partying, and dates. Endless dates that had no meaning or purpose. I thought my lifeboat in this ocean of loss was hedonism when really it was a small twig that barely kept me afloat. I truly was drowning for so many years.
Moving away from Southern California gave me the space to process my grief, emotionally and physically. I wasn’t driving past his old hospital every weekend or eating at his favorite food joints. I could figure out who am I without my past looming over me. What can be my relationship with my father now that I am alone? What can be my own rituals around the holidays?
Obon Festival
Satoshi-K/ Getty Images
Ritualism with death is found in so many communities around the world. Of course, there is the famous Dia De Los Muertos, where families celebrate the lives of the dead. But there are several others, like the Obon Festival in Japan where people go back to their hometowns and spend it with their loved ones.
They dance, light giant bonfires, and send down lanterns in the river honoring their ancestors. In China, they have the Hungry Ghost Festival, where families place food out for hungry spirits who have passed.
What is a common through line with all these rituals is community. There is no better way to acknowledge what we have lost than by celebrating what we still do have. That emptiness can never be filled, and no one will ever truly understand what you have been through. But community is such a beautiful way of reminding us that there are so many people in this world who are willing to meet you halfway if you let them in.
This year, I let my friends know the first week of November that the holidays are tough for me and that, though I’ll be a lot more quiet, the company would be appreciated. Long walks and dinners at cozy restaurants ensued. I’ve had people texting me throughout the season to see if I was doing okay.
I threw myself into my dance classes in a way that I hadn’t before. This was the first year my mother and I could have open conversations about my father. His complexities. His kindness and, most importantly, how he would have wanted us to live.
Tempura/ Getty Images
I have been feeling his overwhelming sense of gratitude over how well he has kept me protected over the years. Whenever I tried to run away, I always had someone to put me on the right track. Usually, it was a friend who saw that I was just a girl shooting blanks in the dark, trying to figure this all out.
I certainly still haven’t figured out dating. I haven’t fallen in love yet, and though I have been disappointed more than probably the average person, I am grateful I dodged all those bullets and that if I just look up when I’m falling in that ocean of grief, there are multiple hands who are willing to pull me up. I am loved. I feel so loved.
My ritual for grief is celebrating the folks in my life who have been there for me throughout these years. I’m also celebrating myself. The garden I have nurtured within myself. I’m not running away from the pain I’ve felt over the years; no, not at all. I’m running to it and addressing what’s hurting.
Can a yoga class bring some movement through grief? Can a long, silly phone call with an old friend remind me that life moves on? I keep myself curious about what my needs are and give myself grace. Something I never gave myself when I was younger.
Marco VDM/ Getty Images
I’d like to end with this passage I found miraculously on Reddit.
“As for grief, you'll find it comes in waves. When the ship is first wrecked, you're drowning, with wreckage all around you. Everything floating around you reminds you of the beauty and the magnificence of the ship that was, and is no more. And all you can do is float. You find some piece of the wreckage and you hang on for a while. Maybe it's some physical thing. Maybe it's a happy memory or a photograph. Maybe it's a person who is also floating. For a while, all you can do is float. Stay alive.
In the beginning, the waves are 100 feet tall and crash over you without mercy. They come 10 seconds apart and don't even give you time to catch your breath. All you can do is hang on and float. After a while, maybe weeks, maybe months, you'll find the waves are still 100 feet tall, but they come further apart. When they come, they still crash all over you and wipe you out. But in between, you can breathe, you can function. You never know what's going to trigger the grief. It might be a song, a picture, a street intersection, the smell of a cup of coffee. It can be just about anything...and the wave comes crashing. But in between waves, there is life.
Somewhere down the line, and it's different for everybody, you find that the waves are only 80 feet tall. Or 50 feet tall. And while they still come, they come further apart. You can see them coming. An anniversary, a birthday, or Christmas, or landing at O'Hare. You can see it coming, for the most part, and prepare yourself. And when it washes over you, you know that somehow you will, again, come out the other side. Soaking wet, sputtering, still hanging on to some tiny piece of the wreckage, but you'll come out.”
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