How about a quick old-fashioned Hollywood post? The Morning Show is now in production on season two, with new cast-member Julianna Margulies, and here she is with season one regulars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Mark Duplass shooting night scenes yesterday in LA which is supposed to look like New York.
It was winter, from what I recall, when we left off and judging from their wardrobe, it is still winter on The Morning Show now, whatever they’re doing, wherever they’re going, in their news anchor vibes. Alex Levy’s got on her neutral tones, her turtleneck, and the cashmere coat. And then there’s Reese’s Bradley Jackson, who had brown hair in season one, but in all the shots I’ve seen of her on set for season two, Bradley is blonde.
This is not superficial. Clothes and hair colour and hairstyle inform and shape a character. That’s why they give out Oscars for costumes and makeup and hair. It’s work. It’s craft. So Bradley, at some point, went from brown hair to blonde hair – and 100% this is a story decision. Was it the network hoping to change her appeal? Was it Bradley’s own decision for a makeover?
If you’re going to do a show about morning broadcast television and in particular, the experience of women working in that field, of course hair is going to be a storyline. Because hair is a big f-cking deal on television, especially news television. Female news anchors are not allowed to have certain hairstyles. There’s a limited range. And if they stray, even just a little, from that range, you wouldn’t believe the response from viewers. I work in this business, and my female colleagues on morning TV, every single one, will tell you that every day someone has some sh-t to say about their hair being too long or too short or too straight or not straight enough or too dark or too light. And after that they’ll share their thoughts on whether or not they should be wearing a sleeveless shift dress, the most basic ass piece of clothing in any wardrobe but inevitably someone will need to tell them that their bare arms are offensive.
So, yes, this hair colour change on Bradley Jackson should mean something. And for Reese, it also means not having to wear a wig at work anymore. That must be a side bonus too.
