The Notebook

MIA NEAL CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. Neal is a highly-praised hairstylist and wig designer for film, television and theater, who made history alongside collaborator Jamika Wilson as the first Black nominees and winners in the best hair and makeup category at the Academy Awards. In addition to her Oscar, Neal’s intricate wig building for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom also led her to be recognized by BAFTA, Critics Choice, Hollywood Critics Association, and Variety Artisans awards. Recognized as one of Essence’s most recent “Black Women in Hollywood to Know,” her credits include Uncut Gems, The Humans, Tyler Perry’s A Jazzman’s Blues, Pose, and Annie Live, for which she won an Emmy award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program. Before breaking into film and television, Neal began her career on Broadway, where she won the first ever Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Wig and Hair for her work on Shuffle Along. She also served as the hair designer for A Raisin in the Sun, Iceman Cometh, Malcolm X the Opera, Trading Places, and soon KPop the Musical. Neal is a graduate of The Juilliard School Professional Internship Program for Wigs and Makeup and attended Jackson State University. She is originally from Gary, Indiana.

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