Stormi Maya is making waves in the entertainment industry. You’ve seen her cameo appearance in the hit TV Land show Younger, as Yennifer Clemente in Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It, and can soon catch her in the summer’s most anticipated movie, Hustlers. Although she started her career in theater, she’s now also an accomplished producer (It Hungers), model, and musician (Body Of Work). And to top it off, she has hair from the gawds. Today the Bronx-based bombshell chats how she grew from being ashamed of her hair to loving it and why being natural in Hollywood is so important.

How long have you been natural?

Two years without bleach or straightening. About six years no relaxer.

How did you rock your hair before going natural?

I use to have straightened bleached blond hair for years and I completely fried my hair. I shaved all my hair off and rocked a short cut until it started growing out.

I grew up getting relaxers and I started giving myself relaxers at age 15. I stopped at about 18 and started wearing wigs and weaves instead.

How did you transition?

Two years ago I shaved all my hair “Amber Rose” style and started rocking it short. When I reached an awkward length I started wearing wigs and weaves.

Unlike a lot of the natural community, natural hair to me means an all-natural state. No wigs, weaves, flat irons, bleach, or relaxer. Just kinks and curls that can brushed, braided, twisted, combed and pinned.

I hated my hair my whole life.

I don’t consider weaves and wigs wearing my hair natural, so I’ve been purely natural for two years, just wearing afros, braids, bun, twists, and puffs.

I co-washed my hair every day and used castor oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and leave-in conditioner.

Who motivated you to go natural?

I stopped relaxing at 18 mainly because I learned how to straighten my hair using Dominican blow-outs instead, which soon killed my hair as well [laugh].

I was sick of the thin hair relaxer look. My main obstacles weren’t relaxers. They were bleach, flat irons, and blow-outs.

I wanted to wear my black hair texture. Embracing my kinks was the real journey and struggle.

I stopped straightening my hair and bleaching in 2017. Bleach is just as harmful as relaxers and people ignore that.

I hated my hair my whole life. I was always made fun of for its kinks and frizz and puffy appearance. I always wanted looser curls or hair that was more manageable.

My hair represents my heritage.

No one ever taught me how to style or take care of my natural hair. I only knew to straighten it or relax it.

I was embarrassed to be seen without a weave or wig or relaxer. And I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing my natural curls.

I didn’t even see my real curl pattern until 2017. I always had heat damage or relaxers. I wanted to go natural because I was done being ashamed of my hair. My hair represents my heritage and I wanted to show pride in that and in myself.

No one should think the hair from their head is disgusting or not good enough. I heard mean comments about my hair while I was a model. Even with relaxers and straightening a lot of companies still acted like my hair was inferior and I wanted to counter this hate with self-love.

Half my paycheck goes in the bank and not on my scalp.

Did you have trouble adjusting to your big chop or was it a welcome change?

When I shaved my head, I wasn’t worried because my hair was so heat damaged and chemically damaged that there was nothing to miss. Of course I missed having sexy long locks but I just dedicated myself to hair growth and decided healthy meant more to me than long.

Describe your hair.

My hair is interesting. I am mostly 3c but at the very bottom I am 3a. My hair is like a coarse curly afro with different shades of brown throughout. It varies from light brown to dark brown. It’s soft, big, and grows toward the sky.

Do you ever have days when you struggle with your natural hair? How do you deal with those?

I’ve gotten over the hate for my hair. Now I’m in love and I wanna see her grow and grow.

The only struggle I have is some days it doesn’t have the same look, so I have different afros all the time.

What have you learned about your hair since being natural?

That my shrinkage is major. I learned my hair loves moisture. I learned how to get a blow-out look without heat.

Do you have any particular brands or products that you swear by? What’s your hair routine?

I only use vegan products that aren’t tested on animals. I like Palmer’s the most. Their leave-in conditioners are the best.

I wash and condition my hair. Then I pick it out and let it dry or do a light blow dry to speed up drying my roots. Lastly, I add Jamaican black castor oil, castor oil, coconut oil, or olive oil and pick with my fingers.

What’s the best part of being natural?

What I love about being natural is that half my paycheck goes in the bank and not on my scalp. Too many $400 bundles and $1200 lace fronts and not enough owned houses and business investments.

I love that I don’t feel ugly without someone’s hair on my head. I love that my man can touch my hair and rain doesn’t scare me.

You’ve done everything from acting to directing, modeling, and even rapping. How did you get started in the entertainment business? Has this always been your passion?

I’ve been modeling since 16. I soon became a Playboy model and later an actress of theater and then film.

I always was into the arts and always wanted to explore different lanes. Music started last year and it’s been a fun journey.

I started modeling on my own as a way to escape my reality. I was in foster care at the time and it was a way for me to have hope of something else.

Which do you prefer…behind-the-scenes (directing, producing) or on-screen? Why?

I like both equally. I like all aspects of filmmaking . I love being an actress and performing, and I also love directing and bringing that out of actors.

I even do post work like editing. I enjoy it all. I just like making art and having fun with artists.

What, if any, challenges have you faced wearing your natural hair in Hollywood? Has it ever prevented you from getting a role?

I tell people I won’t straighten my hair. If someone wants me to wear a weave or wig or something it better make sense to me, not just personal preference.

For example, doing so to portray an actual person would make sense because they had a certain look. But I don’t see why a random black waitress in a movie needs straight hair.

My hair is my brand too, and I like that I’m contributing kinks and curls to the screen and in a sexy way. The impact it makes to wear natural hair in the media is important, and I want to be a part of that. Like a Tracee Ellis Ross or a Cree Summers.

It definitely makes a difference in the eyes of girls and women. If we can’t normalize black hair on-screen, how can we normalize it in real life?

I’m excited to see you in your upcoming role of Angel in the highly anticipated movie Hustlers. Tell us a bit about your character and what drew you to this part.

Hustlers is a great movie and I’m so proud to be in it. It’s about sisterhood and female empowerment, and that’s what I stand for.

Angel is part of the gang of badass women who fish for men and take all they got. It was fun drugging men and taking their wallets since I won’t be doing that anytime soon in real life .

Share your top tip for someone wanting to break into the entertainment world.

Be consistent. People are so lazy nowadays. What we do is far from easy and, unlike a 9-5, there are no days off. So always be consistent and working .

Any advice or words of encouragement for other naturals?

Don’t compare your growth to other people’s. We all have different hair growth cycles.

Buy Stormi Maya’s album, Body Of Work, on Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, Apple Music, and Bandcamp. Subscribe to her YouTube channel for videos and check out her vlog, Ask Stormi, for grown folks discussions.

See Stormi Maya in Hustlers alongside Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, and Cardi B September 13 at a theater near you.