Sanaa Lathan’s ‘Nappily Ever After’ Solo Scenes Are Mesmerizing

Sanaa Lathan doesn’t need costars. That’s not to say she doesn’t have great ones in the new Netflix original movie, Nappily Ever After. It’s just that in the moments where she shares the screen with no other humans, she’s fascinating and magnetic all on her own, and there’s not a whole lot of other actors that can do the same.

Lathan stars as Violet, a woman who’s had enough: with her job where she’s not respected at the level she should be, with her relationship because ditto, and with her hair, a source of stress since her childhood, and one perpetuated by her mother, played by Lynn Whitfield.

So, like any woman who is simply fed up, after a night of drinking, she decides to make a change. With a little help from a razor, we watch as Violet swiftly takes down strands of hair off her head. And sure, we’ve seen Natalie Portman do a similar action in V for Vendetta, but watching Lathan pull this off is nothing short of mesmerizing. She displays every emotion, from fear to excitement to regret to pride and also a bit of the drunkenness inspiring this move, and the scene is as effective as it is because everything reflecting from her face. Seriously, it will give you chills for how empowering this moment is, not only for this specific character in the moment, but also for the millions of viewers that will watch it this weekend.

And while Lathan’s storyline with the young and impressionable Zoe (Daria Johns) is incredibly sweet, and her interactions with both Clint (Ricky Whittle) her on-off boyfriend and Will (Lyriq Bent) the charming new love interest are sexy and fun, she alone knows how to keep your eyes glued to the screen. After a particularly triumphant work exchange, Violet comes home to celebrate by dancing in her living room. Now, she’s not the only living being in the scene, as her adorable pup does watch on, but it’s safe to say that not even that cute dog can come close to stealing this scene. Watching Violet as she runs through a variety of dance moves, from subtle to superstar is transfixing. If you weren’t so excited to watch her every little move, it would likely inspire you to get up and dance along. And you can — just wait until she’s done.

For those that are quick to describe Lathan as the Beyoncé face biter, watch this movie. I mean, you’re probably overdue for a Love & Basketball rewatch too, while we’re at it. But in Nappily Ever After her true talent, and no, it is not face biting, completely shines through. She makes Violet warm and relatable, you know, for a woman who is that kind of otherworldly beautiful. While all women have done their share of shaving (though maybe not heads) and dancing, there’s something about the way that Lathan does it in this movie that proves she simply does it better — not only better than most of us, but other actors as well. Now brb, we’re going to watch her do it all over again.

Where to watch Nappily Ever After