'Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C J Walker': The Tiffany Haddish-Octavia Spencer duo creates magic
Spoilers for 'Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C J Walker'
Netflix's limited series 'Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C J Walker' chronicles the struggles of one of the pioneers of the African-American beauty industry Madam C J Walker. Portrayed by Academy Award winning actress Octavia Spencer in the lead role, the four-part series is stirring documentation of the trials and tribulations Madam C J or Sarah Breedlove, had to overcome as an African American female entrepreneur.
Inspired by the book 'On Her Own Ground' written by Walker’s great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles, the Netflix original series explores how Walker overcame racial and gender biases and business rivalries after the abolition of slavery to build her brand.
Through all the hurdles, Sarah had her daughter Leila (Tiffany Haddish) by her side. For Leila's very playful personality, Tiffany Haddish seems like the perfect choice. And she delivers her best justice to the role with her energetic and charming screen presence.
Leila also doesn't have a care in the world. Her joyful nature is partly a product of her naivety. This makes the character seem foolhardy yet endearing. She finds herself a man in John Robinson (J Alphonse Nicholson), a musician and wastes no time in marrying him. Together, they dream of opening a juke shop. But Sarah never approves of John. His lacklustre attitude makes her suspicious of him and rightly so, for eventually, John comes around to stab them.
Sarah's constant pushing gets the work done where Leila finds herself reluctant to follow through. Although she wasn't actively involved in the expansion of the business like Sarah, Leila is eventually sent to Harlem to start a salon there. Where, much to her surprise, Sarah finds Leila flourishing.
Leila's personal life choices don't always sit well with Sarah, who thinks Leila should be doing better, no matter what. At the beginning of the series, it is implied that Leila swings the other way. But for Sarah, at first, it is only her daughter wasting time and not looking over her business, nothing else. Her growing friendship with Esther (Mouna Traoré) is cute but eventually ends when Esther fails to keep her promises.
When in Harlem, Sarah finally realises Leila is a lesbian when she spots her with Peaches (Keeya King). She gets furious, wondering, how is she going to get a grandchild, a legacy? Now aware that she is slowly dying, Sarah wants an heir. But the blur of nearing the end doesn't let her see that her daughter Leila is actually her legacy.
All episodes of 'Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C J Walker' are currently streaming on Netflix.
