EEW Magazine // Entertainment // Black News

“Hair Love” director Matthew A. Cherry brought a special guest to the Oscars red carpet — Deandre Arnold, a Texas high school student who was told he couldn’t attend graduation unless he cut his dreadlocks.

The evening turned out to be an especially sweet one after Cherry and co-producer Karen Rupert Toliver took home the Oscar for Best Animated Short.

Arnold’s story brought national attention and prompted the Texas Legislative Black Caucus to work up a bill that would ban discrimination based on hair textures and styles commonly associated with race. Cherry was eager to lend his support — his film about a young black girl who asks her inexperienced father to help style her hair won for best animated short.

“It means the world to us to have him here with us,” Cherry said. “We wanted people to see how good of a kid he is, but also there’s no reason people should be policing our hair.”

Arnold said it’s been “validating” to get backing from Cherry and other celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres, who gifted him $20,000 toward his education.

“I’m standing strong because of the support system I have behind me,” Arnold said.

Cherry honored the late Kobe Bryant at the end of his speech by dedicating his Oscar win to him. The Los Angeles Lakers icon won an Oscar in the best animated short category for his role in Dear Basketball in 2018.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.