Currently in theaters from Sony Pictures is Charlie’s Angels, directed by Elizabeth Banks and starring Kristen Stewart (Personal Shopper), Naomi Scott (Aladdin) and Ella Balinska (Casualty) as the film’s titular trio.
With a screenplay by Elizabeth Banks (from a story by Evan Spiliotopoulos and David Auburn), Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska are working for the mysterious Charles Townsend, whose security and investigative agency has expanded internationally. With the world’s smartest, bravest, and most highly trained women all over the globe, there are now teams of Angels guided by multiple Bosleys taking on the toughest jobs everywhere.
The cast also includes breakout star Noah Centineo, Jonathan Tucker, Sam Claflin, Patrick Stewart, Djimon Hounsou, and Banks.
The franchise began with a TV show that ran from 1976-1981 starring Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd. There were two films, Charlie’s Angels in 2000 and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in 2003, starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu.
Working behind-the-scenes and making sure that the ladies all looked great was Camille Friend, who was the hair department head of the film. Friend is a veteran who has been the hair department head to a massive amount of big blockbusters, including this year’s Jordan Peele’s Us, Glass with Samuel L. Jackson, and Captain Marvel (to go along with the Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Captain America: Civil War, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier). She’s the 3rd African American and only African American female who’s worked on more Marvel films behind Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle and Anthony Mackie. Her other film credits also include 2 Quentin Tarantino films (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained), Katherine Bigelow’s Detroit, Both The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2, Miles Ahead, The Help, Rock of Ages, The Pursuit of Happyness and Dreamgirls.
It’s not that often you can find an African American working behind the scenes on numerous films that are non-black and that become blockbusters.
Blackfilm.com spoke exclusively with Friend as she talked about her latest work on Charlie’s Angels, the nature of her job and continuing to land good work.
With Charlie’s Angels, how did you get on board with this? Is this a position that they call you for or do you have to ask to get hired?
Camille Friend: I’m going to tell you something people don’t know. I’m friends with Elizabeth Banks and have been doing her hair for 15 years. When she came up with the concept that she wanted to do this several years ago, she had been talking to me about it. As the movie went up and down, she kept me in the loop. Then when she called me and said, “Camille, we got the go, can you do it?” I was like, “Yep, I’m on it.” That’s how it came about.
Is this a job where you’re in control or do you have to work with all of the talents’ other stylists?
Camille Friend: Basically how this started out is that I had creative control on what I wanted to do. I’m from Tempe, Arizona and I’ve always been a fan of Charlie’s Angels. I had a Charlie’s Angels lunch box and to modernize Charlie’s Angels and bring it up to what we’re doing now I thought was really exciting. They have great outfits, they have hair, they have makeup, fashion, but they’re doing high tech stuff. That’s something you’ve never seen in the previous Charlie’s Angels like you see in this one.
Are there any challenges when you’re when you’re dealing with three leading ladies and the rest of the cast?
Camille Friend: That’s the fun part for me. Exploring the characters on how we’re going to put them in different looks, and how we’re going to put them into sizes. That’s a lot of fun for me and changing the hair color. I guess one of the harder looks that we did, which is called the bowl cut and that’s actually when the girls go into the sky and they all have the same wig. So we decided to do something that was retro but basically what I call it a rounded Bob which back in the day we used to call a mushroom. I used to rock a mushroom when I was a kid. We made it modern by putting on great coloring into it. It was challenging to find the right color that was going to work on all three girls. That was probably the most challenging but really a lot of fun to come up with that look.
Besides the fanbase from the old series or the last films, the main person in this movie is Kristen Stewart. She’s what’s going to help drive audiences. People know Naomi recently because she was an Aladdin. Ella’s basically new in the game. So with Kristen as the lead, and I’m sure she’s probably she has a team around her. Was it easier working with her?
Camille Friend: Kristen had her own hairstylist and her name is Sarah Stamp. I worked with her. We helped designed Kristen’s look. Everyone was cohesive even if you have someone who has their personal hairstylist. We’re still working together to make sure their looks are cohesive.
Which particular scene did you had the most fun working the hair?
Camille Friend: Definitely the party scene. That was a blast. We had such a good time and all the hairstylists that helped us out in Berlin were awesome. I just gave them like a broad show. We took a lot of pictures from fashion and we just allowed people to go there. We had a lot of fun designing that.
Has there been ever a point in, not just with this film, but in your other films where after a talent’s hair is done, the director or producers don’t like the way it looks or do they just leave you alone?
Camille Friend: I’m at a point where they leave me alone. The great thing about we do is that we usually do a camera test. Everybody has an opportunity to see what things are going to look like. Even for myself. How you might see a hairstyle on someone but when you get them on camera, you might see something that doesn’t work. That’s always the greatest opportunity for everybody to speak up and everybody to see how it is going to look on camera. I love having camera tests and always try to do them.
As the hair department ahead, how many people come along with your team?
Camille Friend: I had three people on my team.
How is this film compared to your most recent films, easier or harder?
Camille Friend: Well, I just recently wrapped Chris Nolan’s new film, Tenet. We did six countries. That was harder just because of the traveling around. Six countries is a lot to do and I’ve been on that movie since June.
How was working on that set?
Camille Friend: A lot of fun. It has been a summer of trouble. I’ve been places I never thought I was going to go to like Estonia. Then I went to places I love like London and Italy and had a blast there. A place I never thought I would ever get to was India and I left my heart in India. I met beautiful people and made some friends and just had a beautiful time. So the traveling is also always so beautiful because it opens your mind and you get to see different parts of the world.
You’ve done a great deal of big Hollywood films. What do you tell someone that wants to follow your path? There aren’t many black talent behind the scenes that work on non-black films.
Camille Friend: I have to say number one, I give honor to God because He puts me in the right place and helps me meet the right people. Second, it’s a skill set. I’ll give you anybody who sits in my chair, black, white, red, purple, or even aliens. I can do anything. That’s really what made a difference, and also what I call production friendly; how to work in production, how to talk to people, and how to manage people. A lot of what I do now is managing people. You have to know how to do that and communicate with people.
How did your other work come about? Was it because you are in high demand? Did somebody recommended you?
Camille Friend: With most movies nowadays, I get asked. Usually I’m book from a year to 18 months in advance, which is a blessing. That’s something that’s really awesome. Honestly, it’s really cool. I’ve really been blessed to meet great people and people are recommending me. I’ve been recommended from actors, to directors to production people to production assistants. You never know where your opportunity is going to come from. That’s why I tell people to treat everyone nice and speak to everybody. Treat everybody as a human being. You just never know where your blessings are going to come from.
When you’re on a film, who do you report to?
Camille Friend: Initially when you get hired, you’re talking to the producers. But as you go along, you’re always talking to the director. You’re always talking to the actor, and also your hair and your makeup team, and other makeup people. And also wardrobe. We’re what I call the trifecta. That’s where you’re always thinking about things and coming up with ideas. That’s who you report to once you get passed the hiring stage.
Any more Marvel movies coming up?
Camille Friend: I don’t know if I have any Marvel films for the next year but probably for the year after. I know Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is coming up, Black Panther 2 is coming up. We’ll see what happens. I just ask the universe to put me where I’m supposed to be and where I’m going to be happy and where I’m going to be able to serve the best purpose.
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