Regina King, Zazie Beetz & The Women Who Inspired 'The Harder They Fall'
The Harder They Fall has been the talk of social media since it premiered on Netflix last week. The film is a first of its kind. A western with a star-studded, all-Black cast that includes Idris Elba, Regina King, and LaKeith Stanfield, but what makes the story even more interesting is that the characters are all based on real people. While the real people have never met in real life, the actors in the film do and they come together to tell an explosive, yet touching fictional story.
While white men have historically been at the forefront of Western movies, The Harder They Fall puts an end to that by not only having an all-Black cast but also having strong Black female characters.
Regina King's character, "Treacherous Trudy," is just as powerful and respected as Idris Elba's character, who she plays alongside throughout the film. Zazie Beetz's character "Stagecoach Mary" plays alongside Jonathan Majors' character but proves herself to be more than just his love interest.
Lastly, we have "Cuffe," played by Danielle Deadwyler, who defies what a stereotypical woman is supposed to be. The film's director Jeymes Samuel spoke with Essenceon the importance of having fearless female characters in the film.
"Just because the story takes place in the 1800s shouldn't give you license to make women subservient," he said. "When Nat Love says to Trudy Smith, 'Where's your boss? She goes, 'Boss?' When Nat Love says to Stagecoach Mary, 'What in my character makes you think I'd allow that?' She goes, 'I wasn't asking for your permission.' Ain't no subservience in this movie. We're kings and queens on horseback."
And why would the women be subservient when they were real-life badasses?
History.com says that Mary Fields aka Stagecoach Mary was the first Black woman to work as a mail carrier and she was known to sport two guns to fight off thieves. Because of her height and tough demeanor, she was feared by many, but also loved and respected.
At 17-years-old, Cathay "Cuffe" Williams became the first documented woman to serve in the United States Army, although she enlisted as a man. When she was found out, she was discharged and later joined the Buffalo Soldiers.
Cathay Williams, aka "Cuffe" was the first-ever Black woman to serve in the US Army. She enlisted as a man in 1866 under the name "William Cathay" when she was just 17.
— McKenzie Jean-Philippe (@McKenzie_JP) November 6, 2021
Where is Cathay's biopic?!?! #TheHarderTheyFall pic.twitter.com/eJsxxIINfw
There is little known information about Gertrude "Treacherous Trudy" Smith, but according to Jeymes, she was a pickpocketer and well-traveled, which explains the character's accent. She also used to run with a woman named Dolly Mickey. It's also reported that the story her character in the film shared about her sister happened in real life.
So, there you have it. These ladies were not only badasses, but they were free Black women who made history. Even in the 1800s, they didn't let being Black or being a woman stop them from living life on their own terms.
Now, that's powerful!
Featured image by Kevin Winter/WireImage via Getty Images
Exclusive: Melanie Fiona On Making High-Vibrational Music & Saying Yes To Partnership
Melanie Fiona is back! After taking a little more than a decade-long hiatus, she has officially made her return to music and blessed us with two singles, “Say Yes” and “I Choose You.” While both singles are very different from each other, they both reflect who she is today and the type of music she wants to make. In our conversation, the mom of two expressed what she learned during her time away.
“It's interesting, even when I said it is like coming back, I don't ever feel like I really left because I was always still performing. I've still been public. It's not like I went into being this recluse person or version of myself, but the thing that I really learned in this process is that I think things take time,” Melanie says in a xoNecole exclusive.
“I think often we're so caught up in it, being on the timing of demand or popularity, or, like, striking while the iron is hot and the thing that I've learned is that everything is on God's time. That's it. Every time I thought I would have been ready, or, like, things were taking too long, I had to reship some things, personally, professionally, in my life. I also gave myself permission to make a living, not just make a living, but make a life for myself.”
Making a life for herself included getting married to Grammy-nominated songwriter Jared Cotter, starting a family, and embracing new landscapes, such as podcasting as a co-host of The Mama’s Den podcast. She also began doing more spiritual work and self-care practices like meditation, sound healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and boundary setting, which allowed her to get in touch with her inner voice.
“I wasn't putting out music, and I wasn't experiencing a number one record, but I was being a number one mom,” she says.
“I was experiencing things that were allowing me to heal and get in touch with myself so that I could make new music from a space of joy and freedom, and excitement again because I definitely feel like I did lose some excitement because of just politics and industry and what it can do to your mental health and even your physical health. So giving myself the space to really just say, ‘Hey, it's okay. Everything's right on time.’”
The joy and excitement are felt in one of two new singles, “I Choose You,” which is more of a lovers rock vibe, a tribute to Melanie’s Caribbean roots. While the Grammy award-winner is known for ballads like “It Kills Me” and “Fool For You,” she is becoming more intentional about the music she makes, calling it high-vibrational music. She says her music is a “reflection of my life,” as it captures every facet, from hanging out with friends to riding around in her car.
“Say Yes” has the classic R&B vibe Melanie is known for. However, both songs are inspired by her relationship. Melanie and Jared got married in December 2020, and the Toronto-bred artist dished on their relationship. Fun fact: he is featured in the “Say Yes” music video.
“When we first started dating, I had come into that relationship post a lot of self-work. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship, I had a year and a half to date and be by myself and do a lot of work on myself alone. And when we met, I remember feeling like this has to be my person because I feel it,” she says.
“And so when we went into that relationship, and we started dating, I was very clear. I was like, I know what I want. I'm very clear on what I need, and I'm not going to withhold my truth about myself in this process because of pride or fear of rejection. I know you love me, but I'm coming with my heart in my hand to let you know that if we're gonna get there, we have to put fear aside and say yes. So that was kind of like my open letter to him, which is why the video is us having a conversation.”
Melanie also shares that saying yes to her partner has empowered her in many ways, including motherhood and showing up for herself. Her new EP, also titled Say Yes, will be available at the top of 2025.
Check out the full interview below.
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Feature image by Franco Zulueta
'Tis The Season For Nail Glam: Holiday Manis For Every Festive Mood
The holidays are an exciting time to enjoy our family and decorate our hearts out. Our Christmas tree, dining table, and style all begin to reflect the joy we feel in the season, but what about our nails? Our nails are the star of the show this time of year. They are the part of ourselves people will see when we pass around presents and Christmas dinner.
Gifting ourselves the self-care we always deserve is a no-brainer, but sometimes we can become overwhelmed with choices.
There are many different nail designs and shapes to choose from, so it can be hard to settle on one. Kia Stewart is a talented celebrity nail artist. Her love for prioritizing nail health and design has gained her an immense amount of respect in the industry. Stewart is always mindful of paying attention to her audience for trends, which has helped her stay ahead of the game. “Recently, full chrome has made a significant comeback, and the classic French manicure remains timeless. 3D nails are trending on TikTok daily, though cat-eye and airbrush styles seem to have taken a backseat this year,” says Stewart.
As far as shapes, Stewart has noticed a huge trend in almond shapes. She believes this is due to the shape being timeless and truly chic. This includes sizes of all kinds. Tis the season to indulge in short and long almond-shaped nails. “Longer styles reminiscent of the ‘90s, complete with deep French tips and vibrant reds. I enjoy the diversity in preferences, as it keeps my work interesting. But the most common trend is self-expression, everyone is wearing nails that speak to them. I champion that it’s a mood.” Keep reading to see Stewart’s work for nail inspiration this holiday season.
Almond Bliss
Want your nails to reflect the gifts under the Christmas tree this year? Try this simple, yet totally festive nail design. Stewart uses the colors red and green to create a minimal nail design that gets its point across. This style can be approached with your natural nails or acrylic if you’re looking to add length.
French Manicure
As Stewart mentioned, a French manicure will never go out of style. However, if you’re looking to spice things up, we recommend playing with color. Incorporating a deep red French tip can be just as chic as traditional white. You can even add a present design (as seen here) if you want your French to be bold. The beauty of this is that you have the freedom to express yourself as you wish.
Deep Red
If Beyoncé is doing deep red, then we should definitely do it too! This deep red seems to be the color of the fall and winter seasons. Keep things elevated with a classic deep red on your hands, or mix it up! You can pair this deep red with white, like in this photo. Having deep red as your base will keep things interesting without having to try as hard.
Chrome
These nails are perfect New Year's Eve inspo for the season. The gold and black are giving us more reason to celebrate this year despite its difficulties. Get into the season with effortless chrome nails and a cool design to match. Watch out, 2025; we are coming for you!
Vibrant Red
The best part about the holiday season is that we can embrace the colors and put our nudes to rest. This vibrant red with gold chrome undertone is a fun way to enter into the happiest time of the year. Leave the red as it is, or add white stripes to create a candy cane look. Either way, you cannot go wrong with this traditional holiday color.
Don’t Be So Green
It’s time green enters the chat this holiday season. Adding a shape of deep green to your nail aesthetic can be a different approach to typical holiday designs. We also love the hint of gold and glitter in this design to add texture and contrast. Step into your green era and go outside the traditional holiday box.
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Featured image by @tylauren, courtesy of Kia Stewart @__luxk