Peacock’s latest drama Bel-Air just wrapped its first season and its breakout star, Coco Jones, has reminded me of the importance of dark skinned characters getting to shine on-screen. Jones rose to fame from her time as a Disney child actress on Let It Shine. Since then, she’s been working on her music but finally returned to TV, giving the iconic Hilary Banks new life. Aside from her artistry, Jones plays an important role for many of us, entering a legacy of Black TV actors who hold a special place in the hearts and minds of dark skinned women, femmes, and girls who get to see themselves fully realized.
My reverence for dark-skinned characters began with the only Cinderella that matters: Brandy, in the 1997 rendition. Seeing her in sparkly blue eyeshadow and fresh microbraids gave young me not just a role model, but a reflection of the beauty the dark skinned women in my family had always conjured while living in a world hell-bent on dismissing and discarding them.
