IPA 101: Hair & Makeup Equity (part 1)

ACTRA has been engaged in an important fight with the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and the Association Québécoise de la Production Médiatique (AQPM) since 2021 as part of our union’s efforts to achieve equitable treatment of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) members in the application of hair and makeup services on set.

While we have made important inroads (learn more about that here), our fight continues.

To help ACTRA achieve the overall goal of ensuring BIPOC performers have their hair and makeup needs adequately and consistently met on set, all ACTRA Toronto members have an important role to play.

As a member of the ACTRA community, it is so important to be supportive of one another and to speak up when something is wrong.

What can you do to support your sibling performers and help your union create real change?

1. Share your lived experience

First and foremost, ACTRA’s work continues to be member led and informed. By informing your union if you have experienced hair or makeup service inequities on set in the past, your lived experiences will help us to create long-term change. Performers can confidentially share their past lived experience here.

If you are sharing an experience from a set that you are currently working on, please contact your ACTRA Toronto Business Representative (and cc Luisa Alvarez Restrepo (lalvarezrestrepo@actratoronto.com) ACTRA Toronto’s Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging), so we can address the issue promptly with Production.

2. Speak up about what you see on set

All ACTRA Toronto members can support their sibling performers by speaking up if they see any inequities occurring on set. If you see something (or hear something), say something. Please report to your ACTRA Toronto Business Representative (and cc Luisa Alvarez Restrepo (LAlvarezRestrepo@actratoronto.com), ACTRA Toronto’s Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) if:

  1. You believe a hair and makeup artist did not have the appropriate products or equipment to adequately serve a Performer.
  2. A hair and makeup artist and/or crew member made negative comments or refused to work on a Performer because of their facial features, skin tone or hair style/texture.
  3. A racialized Performer was asked to do their own hair and makeup when other Performers in the same performance category received hair or make up services provided by the Production.

Your name will be kept confidential if/when ACTRA Toronto addresses any issues with the production. Should an instance arise where we need to provide identifying details to Production to resolve an issue, you will be contacted by an ACTRA Business Representative to provide your consent.

3. Support the Protect Our Crowns petition

Support MPP Jill Andrew’s (Toronto-St. Paul’s) petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to pass Bill 147, Protecting our Crowns (Training Requirements with respect to Black, Indigenous, Racialized, Natural and Textured Hair Types) Act, 2023 calling for the Government of Ontario and Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, which regulates the hairstyling trade profession in Ontario, to amend the Hairstyling Program Standard to mandate culturally-responsive training, specific to Black, Indigenous, racialized, natural, and textured hair in hairstyling education and practice across Ontario’s film & television industry. Please show your support by signing the Protecting our Crowns petition before the bill is debated on November 28, 2023.

We understand this is a sensitive issue and understandably may be triggering. ACTRA Toronto members are encouraged to seek support through the mental health benefits available through AFBS should you need to seek counselling.

Did you know ACTRA Toronto has a dedicated DEIB page? Visit actratoronto.com/deib to learn more about how your union is an industry leader in promoting initiatives and programs to identify and encourage greater diversity in front of and behind our cameras and microphones.


Luisa Alvarez Restrepo is ACTRA Toronto’s Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, overseeing the union’s ongoing work to tackle anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in the industry and support the objectives of ACTRA Toronto’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in screened entertainment. A Colombian-Canadian film executive, programmer and creator with deep ties to the international film community, Luisa has dedicated her professional life to helping provide a voice and platform to filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Additionally, Luisa’s own award-winning short film, Forbidden Tikka Masala, was shown across Canada as part of TIFF’s Film Circuit and was licensed by TIFF, CBC and Air Canada.   

Recommended Articles