Justin Simien on the Korean and Japanese Influence of 'Bad Hair' (Video)

Director Justin Simien, who first broke out at Sundance with 2014’s “Dear White People,” dropped by TheWrap studio at Sundance to discuss his campy horror film “Bad Hair.”

“So ‘Bad Hair’ is a horror satire camp mashup situation about a killer weave and a girl who gets one in 1989 and the costs and the benefits that happen when such a thing transpires,” said Simien. “The idea really came from a conversation about a sub-genre of horror in Korean and Japanese horror films about hair specifically and I felt like there was an American story there to be told that hadn’t been told and specifically one that kind of interrogates the system that kind of forces black women in particular, but all of black culture, to sort of produce value that they themselves can actually capitalize on.”

“I wanted to do this genre because it just it’s a lot of fun. I love ‘Body Snatchers’ and ‘Body Double” and ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ and ‘Wicker,’ I could go on and on. It’s such an inventive and fun journal where you can really play as a filmmaker and so I got to kind of pour a bunch of obsessions into this,” added Simien.

Also Read: Hulu Nears Worldwide Deal for Justin Simien's 'Bad Hair'

The film, written and directed by Simien, premiered in the Midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival last Thursday. The cast includes Elle Lorraine, Vanessa Williams, Jay Pharaoh, Lena Waithe, Blair Underwood and Laverne Cox.

“Bad Hair,” set in 1989, follows a young woman who gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, the weave starts to take on a mind of its own.

Hulu is nearing a deal for worldwide distribution rights for Justin Simien’s “Bad Hair,” an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.

Watch the interview above with Siemien and his cast.

The Scene From TheWrap at Sundance (Photos)

Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Leonid Solovyev of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev and Clare Burgess of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous, producer Joe Pichirallo, Dean of USC School of Cinematic Arts Elizabeth Daley at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
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Director Julie Taymor, composer Elliot Goldenthal, actor DW Moffett, and "The Glorias" producer Lynn Hendee at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow, "Disclosure" director Sam Feder and actor Harvey Guillén at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Panelists at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
TheWrap founder Sharon Waxman with GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow, director Patricia Vidal Delgado, actor Harvey Guillén, actor Frankie Rodriguez and producer Taryn Arriola at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Producer Paula Silver, Sharon Waxman and actor DW Moffett at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Jeremy Blacklow speaks at a panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Rodriguez and Ariola at a panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Panelists at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Actor Harvey Guillén at TheWrap's panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Panelists with Latinx House co-founder Monica Ramirez at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Toni Collette, Kelly Rowland and Yaani King Mondschein at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Glenn Close and Alec Baldwin at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
"Spree" actor Joe Keery at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
"Horse Girl" star Alison Brie signs a giant bottle for a charity auction at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Tara Miele and Sienna Mellier of "Wander Darkly" at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Sharon Waxman, director Chris Miller, and Studios 101's Heather Phillips at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Attorney Steven Beer and guest at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Sharon Waxman at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev, Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Dean Daley at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Clare Burgess speaks at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Director Chris Miller and Studio 101's Heather Phillips attend a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman greets director Maïmoune Doucuré at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
“The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel and friend attend a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous, "Disclosure" producer Amy Scholder, "Disclosure" director Sam Feder, and GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Leonid Solovyev of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Cuties" director Maïmoune Doucuré speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"The Glorias" producer Lynn Hendee and actor DW Moffett at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Producer Joe Pichirallo at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Disclosure" producer Amy Scholder and GLAAD's Anthony Ramos at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
DW Moffett at the annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Director Sam Feder speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Anthony Ramos speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Studios 101's James Allen speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Composer Elliot Goldenthal speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Dean Daley at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Bryan Fogel speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Filmmaker Aviva Kempner speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca