The intricacies of our identities are what make us unique. However, ostracization and othering are also used in a society that delights in placing people in boxes. Netflix’s Beauty, directed by Nigerian director Andrew Dosunmu and written by Lena Waithe, centers on one young woman’s determination to hold on to her identity amid her rising fame. Set in the ’80s on the East Coast, Beauty follows a young singer (Gracie Marie Bradley) who, after earning a lucrative recording contract, is determined to define herself outside of the oppressive household of her hyper-religious parents (portrayed by Niecy Nash and Giancarlo Esposito).
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