When Household Reunion returned to Netflix, on April 5, one of many first issues that viewers might observed (and sure appreciated) about Talia Jackson’s character, Jade, is that she has ditched her wig. For almost two seasons, the wig has — for higher or worse — been a part of the storyline. Its straightened fashion symbolized the start of what Talia says is Jade’s “self-identification journey.” However that’s not how the viewers took it.
“We didn’t get the nicest wig,” Talia tells Teen Vogue by telephone. It’s one thing she will snicker about now; however again then, the wig offered a distressing situation. “It was a really low cost wig, and sadly, I ended up getting all of the backlash from that.”
When Talia was first forged within the position, the 19-year-old actor and singer was informed by producers that she would want to camouflage her signature curls for the sake of storytelling. Over the course of the primary two seasons, Jade, who’s biracial, grew to become extra in tune with the fullness of her racial id and embraced her pure hair (due to this fact shedding the straight wig).
However the hateful feedback from viewers that known as into query not simply Talia’s look however her id too got here to play an outsized position within the actor’s life. What was imagined to be a joyful second grew to become one in all ache. Talia took that ache and reworked it into progress. Now, the star is certain of herself, and shining brighter than ever.
The present’s premiere introduced backlash about Jade’s hair, however Talia confronted her personal controversy earlier than the present even got here out. When the season one trailer was launched, in June 2019, Talia was spending the summer time in Wisconsin together with her greatest pal. Excitedly, she scrolled by way of the feedback on Instagram to see how followers have been reacting to the trailer, solely to be fully mortified by hurtful feedback that picked at her racial background.
“I swear, about 70% of the feedback have been like, ‘I can’t imagine they forged a white lady because the teenage daughter,’” Talia says. “‘Why would they forged a white lady because the daughter in a Black household?’ Folks have been occurring about how mild I used to be and the way I didn’t match the household.”
In actuality, the household that they have been referring to is biracial, as is Talia. Within the present, Jade’s mom, Cocoa (performed by Tia Mowry), is each Black and white.
“I bear in mind trying on the feedback and considering, Oh, my God! I’ve to show to them that I’m combined. They don’t know I am combined,” Talia says. “I’ve to get it on the market that I am combined.” She was overcome with nervousness. She nervous the backlash would consequence within the present being canceled earlier than it even aired, and it made her really feel as if she wanted to show her Blackness.
“I used to be genuinely terrified of that reality — that individuals thought I used to be white or too mild would find yourself getting the present canceled,” Talia recollects. “I had this big burden placed on me. I felt like I used to be ruining this for everyone.”