The NBA’s regular-season awards do more than hand out trophies. They help define the season, spotlight the players who shaped it and, in some cases, mark the beginning of a new era.

With more honors scheduled to be announced throughout the week, this running tracker will be updated as each winner is revealed.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

France’s Victor Wembanyama is the NBA’s 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year, giving the Spurs star his first major regular-season award and another milestone in a career that is moving fast. At 22-years-old, he is the youngest player to win Defensive Player of the Year, and he is also the first unanimous winner in the award’s history.

This places Wembanyama, alongside some of the league’s best defenders, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert, Marcus Smart, and many more. Gobert, Mutombo and Wallace are tied for the most DPOY wins with four each.

For Wembanyama, the win feels less like a surprise than a checkpoint on his NBA journey. This once in a lifetime talent, representing the next generation of the NBA and its international influence, has already become the kind of defender who erases the easy shot, cleans up mistakes, and makes teams rethink how they want to attack the paint. Now he has the award to prove it.

The NBA will announce additional awards throughout the week: Clutch Player, Sixth Man, Sportsmanship, and Most Improved. The MVP is typically announced mid-March

Hair has always been a major way I, like many people, choose to express myself. However, it wasn’t until I became an actively dating adult that I realized my hair was unintentionally sending signals and attracting different people depending on how I wore it.

Bolder colors seemed to attract players, braids and curly styles drew more vibrant individuals, and straighter hairstyles brought in a mix of young and older professionals. At first, I wondered if this was simply a coincidence, but then I started hearing similar stories from other people. Which ultimately had me questioning: can something as surface-level as hair dictate your dating life?  

Well, Ashley L. Dalton, a level-up coach, believes it does. Dalton, who has built a following by helping women upgrade their lives and appearance, says the main question she gets is how to style their hair. “Hair is tied to our identity, and we are judged, if I’m being honest, based on our hair first,” Dalton told EBONY. “I do feel like a hairstyle can change how people view you…I think the energy you have behind a hairstyle, the way you carry that hairstyle—that plays a part too, for sure.”

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Last year, one of Dalton’s followers expressed that she was tired of attracting hotep/free-spirited men with her loc’d styled hair. Dalton suggested styling her locs differently, looking to Chloe and Halle Bailey for inspiration, or to opt for a shorter cut.

“Within five days, she cut her locs off into a pixie, and she said, ‘The world changed,’” Dalton said. “She received more options, and that’s not to say she didn’t look beautiful with the locs, but she noticed a drastic difference in who was approaching her and how she was being received in the world, not just by men, but by everyone.”

Similarly, professional hairstylist of 12 years, Shara Williams, says, one standout style that has improved her clients’ dating experiences is the flip-over curly look. “It tends to enhance a soft, feminine wifey aesthetic and gives off natural, effortless beauty,” Williams said. “Many clients love that it looks so natural that people can’t always tell whether it’s their real hair or not.”

For Williams, the best styles can be found at the root of natural and complementary to one’s features. This includes wearing natural colors, manageable lengths, and soft layers. Universally, she says wavy or curlier textures are more appealing at shorter lengths, adding that it’s less about the specific style and more about the overall presentation. “Keeping your hair well-maintained and styled makes a bigger difference than the actual look itself,” Williams told EBONY. She adds, “neglect, rather than style choice, is what can limit appeal.”

From an evolutionary psychological perspective, Dr. Wendi Williams says hair and how it grows are great indicators of vitality and well-being. In fact, a British Journal of Dermatology study shows that early humans used their hair to signal health, maturity, and status.

“Just like other elements of our physical health, beauty can be a reflection of our internal health and perhaps a shortcut for folks to make determinations about the health of an individual and whether or not they’d be someone to date and possibly marry,” she said.

Dr. Williams, who’s the president of the American Psychological Association, shares that she’s all for people experimenting and exploring different hairstyles for attention. However, she does caution people about relying solely on these methods to boost their self-esteem while dating.

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“The tricky part is how much of this do [you] attribute to who [you are] versus how someone’s engaging with [you] because of [what they’re] seeing,” Dr. Williams said. “Are they going to be someone who can talk to [you] when [you’re] wearing the tiny Afro or when [you’re] doing another hairstyle that they may or may not be attracted to,” she questions. “I think ultimately, a foundation of self and self-worth that is consistent, irrespective of your hairstyle, would be the goal.”

​Anwar White agrees. While the dating strategist of 16 years says hair is an important factor in dating—especially in the age of dating apps—being secure in who you are is truly the key to success. “There’s a saying: hard wig, soft life. That signals something, that signals ‘I play by my own rules. I don’t care what anybody else thinks,’ and I think part of that is attractive to these wealthier men, who also don’t play by anybody else’s rules.”

Over the years, White has found that non-Black men with long hair, buzzcuts, and even curly high tops are more likely to date Black women due to these sentiments. “These are things that represent, ‘I’m not conforming to what you want me to be, and because of that, I am going to live the life that I want to live without other people’s opinions,’” he said.

While we often say it’s just hair, it’s more than apparent that it really is not. Whether it’s curly, long, short, or blue—the overall takeaway is to make sure you feel like the best version of you in every scenario.

“What every Black woman knows is that feeling you get after you step out of the salon—you feel amazing about yourself, you are confident about how you look, and who you are as a woman—that is the thing that is going to drive the success in your dating life, not your hairstyle or color,” White said.

There’s a certain kind of man who thinks “basics” means buying a pack of white crewneck t-shirts. This is not for him. This is for the man who understands that the right essentials can encourage you to step your game up in many ways. Spring style isn’t about reinventing yourself. It’s about refining what you already do well and letting the clothes do a little talking while you mind your business. You don’t need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe unless you’re balling like that, hello! You just need a few new basics.

First up, the jacket that says, “I didn’t try too hard,” even though you absolutely did. A lightweight, slightly oversized zip-up in a muted tone this one lands somewhere between street and sculptural. It’s the piece you throw on when the weather can’t make up its mind, which is basically all of spring. It frames everything else. It finishes the look before you even get started.

The Frankie Shop

Seth Oversized Jacket

Price: $219

Shop at The Frankie Shop

A white button-down is non-negotiable. But this season, it’s less boardroom, more off-duty architect. Slightly oversized, clean lines, no fuss. Wear it buttoned up for structure or open over a tank when you want to flirt with effortlessness. Either way, it does what it’s supposed to do and makes you look like you have somewhere important to be.

Uniqlo

JW Anderson x Uniqlo Oxford Oversized Shirt

Price: $50

Shop at Uniqlo

The striped sweater is doing quiet luxury without saying the phrase out loud. It’s nostalgic but grown. A little preppy, a little downtown. Throw it over your shoulders or wear it straight up it carries just enough personality to break up a neutral wardrobe without turning into a costume.

Banana Republic

Merino Stripe Long-Sleeve Sweater Polo

Price: $110 $50

Shop at Banana Republic

These are not your skinny jeans from 2016. Thank God. A relaxed, straight-leg denim with a soft fade is the move. They look like you’ve had them forever, even if you just bought them yesterday. The key is the fit, easy through the leg, structured at the waist. They sit. They don’t cling.

Agolde

Magnus Trouser Jean

Price: $238

Shop at Agolde

Every man needs a pair of trousers that can pivot. These do exactly that. Clean, slightly relaxed, maybe a pleat if you’re feeling fancy. They work with sneakers, they work with loafers, they work when you need to look like you have your life together, even if you’re still figuring it out.

Cos

Pleated Relaxed-fit Tapered Pants

Price: $129

Shop at Cos

A good loafer will change how you walk. There’s a confidence that comes with leather and a clean silhouette. No logos screaming for attention, just craftsmanship doing what it does. Throw them on with denim or trousers and suddenly the outfit feels intentional.

Eix Gnod

Pleated Leather Penny Loafers

Price: $895 $155

Shop at Atorie

And finally, the bag. Not too big, not too precious. Just enough to carry your essentials and your secrets. A clean black shoulder bag hits that sweet spot between utility and style. It says you’re organized, but not uptight. Prepared, but not pressed.

A.P.C.

Journal Satchel

Price: $270

Shop at A.P.C.

Put it all together and what you get is a lineup you’ll actually be excited to reach for. Outfits that don’t require a second thought, pieces that move with you, and even on those mornings when you skip checking the forecast, you’ll still glide through the day like you planned it that way.

On a @champagnepapi Instagram Story posted Sunday morning, featuring a mysterious blue glowing object encased in blocks of ice, a text bubble contained the cryptic message, “Its in”—meaning, presumably, Drake’s long-awaited new studio album. Yes, OVO fans received the exciting news that the Iceman finally cometh.

The drop will be his first major release since his fierce 2024 battle against Kendrick Lamar (and its questionable legal fallout), and Team Drizzy will no doubt rally behind him this year. But the way social media platforms and Stan culture provided echo chambers that fed the Drake vs. Kendrick conflict is nothing new.

Consider the ultimate Gen X rivalry between Michael Jackson, whose latest biopic, Michael, drops April 24, and Prince.

Long before the likes of Twitch and TikTok, teen-targeted magazines like Right On!, Black Beat and Word Up! operated as platforms for Black youth of the 1980s to connect around shared opinions, interests and identity. These so-called monthly “fanzines” included up-to-the-minute celebrity gossip, interviews and ready-made posters of teen idols like New Edition and LL Cool J (or, for the guys, heartthrobs Janet Jackson and Vanity) to tape up on bedroom walls.

But in the mid-’80s, no stars loomed larger than Prince and Michael Jackson.

With MTV rolling hit music videos like “Billie Jean” and “When Doves Cry” in regular rotation, fanzines would devote entire issues to each pop icon during their heyday.

In September 1984, when MJ ruled the zeitgeist with Thriller (ultimately the biggest-selling album of all time), and Prince rode the wave of his own commercial peak, the Purple Rain movie and its soundtrack, Right On! released an infamous issue featuring photos of them both, posing the musical question, “Who Rules the Music Kingdom? Prince or Michael?” (eBay wants $375 for the issue as we speak.) If not for the “Beatles vs. Rolling Stones” boomer debate of the 1960s, you could almost say the issue singlehandedly created Stan culture.

As if debating the original Verzuz, high schoolers fell in line with heated cafeteria arguments about the sex appeal of Prince and Michaelmania’s roots in their Motown memories of the Jackson 5. Decades later, DJ Spinna would launch his first Soul Slam party at the Manhattan nightclub Peppers, pitting the music of MJ and Prince against each other all night long.

The party still goes strong in 2026.

But the irony? Just like partygoers indiscriminately shake their bodies down to the ground to “Erotic City” (Prince) and “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” (MJ) alike, fans never actually chose one performer over the other. Nearly everyone of a certain age has both Off the Wall and 1999 in their vinyl record collections from the era.

The impulse to stan for our favorite artists has grown even more fervent, aided and abetted by our social media silos, which polarize our tastes and encourage division. The UK recently banned Kanye West from entering the country to perform, but he was able to sell out shows at the SoFi Stadium in L.A., courtesy of his forever-devoted fan base. Nicki Minaj currently aligns with the MAGA movement, but her 2012 hit “Beauty and a Beat” with Justin Bieber is #1 on the Global Spotify chart after a clip of the song was played at his Coachella performance. We seem to dig in deeper for our faves, showering them with our love… and our dollars.

Does it have to be one or nothing? I predict that, just as they did nearly 30 years ago, fans will look back and see that, even amid online beefs, they had Drake and Kendrick on their playlists. And let’s be real:

We all listen to Beyoncé and Rihanna, right?

The celebrity scene was packed this past week, with stars out in full force. Here’s where they lit up the scene, took their bows, and kept the energy on an all-time high.

Davido

Closing Down Coachella

Davido, the only Afrobeats artist in the lineup this year, closed down the second and final weekend of Coachella 2026 by welcoming viral Jamaican star Shenseea to the stage for a crowd-hyping finale. Performing global hits like “Fall” and “R&B” with Shenseea, Davido got support from fellow Afrobeats artist Tyla, who stopped by the show. He was also joined by his wife, Chioma, and his team, who flew in to be by his side.

Eddie Murphy

Honored with the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award

Eddie Murphy got his flowers as he accepted the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award at The American Film Institute (AFI) on April 18, during a Gala Tribute in Hollywood, California. Surrounded by friends and contemporaries, including Dave Chappelle, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Hart, Nia Long, and more, the Beverly Hills Cop star was recognized for his award-winning career and his significant impact in film. The event, which raised more than $2.5 million for AFI’s nonprofit education programs, will air on Netflix on May 31.

Tina Knowles

Featured in new Kurt Geiger Campaign

It was a pretty pink afternoon at the Kurt Geiger London and Ms. Tina Knowles luncheon on April 17 in Beverly Hills. Knowles has partnered with the accessory brand on its 2026 Mother’s Day campaign, which she starred in and produced. Surrounded by bouquets of pink and red flowers, guests were in rapture as Ms. Knowles shared unreleased excerpts from her best-selling memoir, Matriarch.

Don Cheadle and Ayo Edebiri

Premiere Night Bows

Stars Ayo Edebiri and Don Cheadle shared proud smiles after their opening night in the revival of Proof. The acclaimed production, now playing at The Booth Theatre in New York City, marks both actors’ Broadway debuts.

Tessa Thompson

‘Fear of 13’ Broadway Opening

Tessa Thompson looked every much the Hollywood starlette on Broadway for the the opening night of the new play The Fear of 13 on April 15. Thompsn is making her Broadway at The James Earl Jones Theater in New York City, playing a woman who helps the incarcerated.

Clean beauty used to feel like homework. You’d buy something because the ingredient list sounded impressive, then let it collect dust because it didn’t actually do anything for you. But that era is over. Now the expectation is simple: if it’s going to be “clean,” it also needs to be good. Like, actually good. No passes, no exceptions.

For the 2026 EBONY Beauty & Grooming Awards, the Clean Beauty category wasn’t about checking boxes. It was about real-life rotation. The products you reach for when you’re running late, when your skin is acting up, when you don’t feel like doing the most, but still need to look like you did.

Let’s start with the base. MERIT’s The Uniform is doing what clean complexion products have historically struggled to do: show up. This isn’t sheer in the way that disappears on deeper skin tones or leaves you ashy by noon. It’s breathable, yes, but it’s also intentional. It evens tone, respects undertones, and moves like skin. The kind of product that understands you have somewhere to be and doesn’t need a 10-step routine to get there.

Merit

The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45

Price: $38

Shop at Sephora

Then there’s Innisfree’s Green Tea PDRN serum, quietly carrying the hydration conversation on its back. Eye and lip care tends to feel like an afterthought until it doesn’t. This one leans into barrier support and moisture retention without the heaviness. It’s the difference between looking rested and being asked if you got enough sleep. Subtle, but not invisible.

innisfree

Green Tea PDRN Smoothing Eye & Lip Serum for Fine Lines + Wrinkles

Price: $26

The supporting cast is just as strong. Well People reminds us that clean lip care can still feel plush and nourishing, not waxy or performative. It’s the kind of product you keep within reach, not buried in a bag somewhere.

Well People

Poutlove Peptide Lip Balm

Price: $14

Shop at Well People

Tower 28 continues its reign as the sensitive skin MVP. That SOS spray has become less of a trend and more of a staple. When your skin is irritated, reactive, or just going through it, this is what you reach for. No guessing, no drama.

Tower 28

SOS Rescue + Relief Body Wash Treatment

Price: $22

Shop at Sephora

TIRTIR’s Matcha Calming Cream taps into a different kind of luxury. Not the flashy kind, but the quiet, effective kind. It soothes, hydrates, and restores without overwhelming the skin. Think of it as balance in a jar.

TirTir

Matcha Calming Cream

Price: $25

Shop at TirTir

Cyklar leans into minimalism with intention. Clean beauty often promises simplicity, but this is what it looks like when that promise is executed well. Streamlined, effective and designed for people who don’t want their routines to feel like a second job.

Cyklar

Sacred Santal Sensorial Body Wash

Price: $35

Shop at Cyklar

And then there’s Beautystat, bringing SPF into the chat with actual respect for melanin-rich skin. No chalky finish, no ghost cast, no excuses. Just protection that looks like it belongs on you.

Beauty Stat

C Lip Serum SPF 30

Price: $15

Shop at Beauty Stat

What ties all of these together isn’t just their ingredient lists. It’s their understanding of the assignment. Clean beauty, in 2026, is no longer niche. It’s an expectation. And these winners prove that you don’t have to sacrifice performance, shade range, or texture to make better choices.

Earth Month might be the reminder, but this is the standard.

I’ve always wanted to visit the Fiji Islands since I saw the country and its beautiful features in one of my father’s National Geographic magazines growing up, but back then, I doubted I would ever get the chance to see it in person. Recently, I was offered a trip of a lifetime to visit several islands within the South Pacific for spring break. I desperately needed time away from the United States after experiencing extreme burnout from covering major award shows like the Golden Globes and the Oscars, along with a slew of glitzy ceremonies and events here in Los Angeles at the start of the year.  

Thankfully, Fiji turned out to be the refresh I was craving and the inspiration and life reset I didn’t know I needed. Fiji, and its people, while stunning, always seemed mysterious to me. I wondered how the environment was, how the people were, what they ate, and, most importantly, the culture behind the pristine beaches and orange-painted skylines.

I quickly learned that Fijians are among the most welcoming and kind people ever to roam the earth. 

Getting there: Luckily for me, there is a direct flight from Los Angeles to Nadi, Fiji, with Fiji Airways, which takes about 10 hours. Once I boarded the plane, I immediately felt comfortable, as the flight attendants warmly greeted me. 

During the plane ride, I noticed that many of the flight attendants wore short, well-kept afros, which I later learned throughout my trip had cultural significance. The traditional hairstyle, called a buiniga, indicates high status and represents a “chiefly” social standing and families of that ilk. I also learned about Melanesians, the indigenous peoples of Oceania, who mainly inhabit six main entities: Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and West Papua (Indonesia).

They are known for their texturized features, and quite frankly, reminded me of my loved ones back home. The name Melanasia combines Greek words: melas, meaning “Black,” and neosi, meaning “islands.”  

Once I landed in Nadi (the country’s third-largest city and primary international gateway), which is located on the western side of Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji, I was quickly whisked away via a private car service to the first hotel property in Denarau Island, Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort. While at the resort, I was able to settle in and adjust to my new beachside environment. 

At Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort, which touts two and three-bedroom villas that full kitchens, dining areas, and en-suite bedrooms, two main pools on property including an infinity pool and a lagoon-style pool with direct access to the beach for ocean‐side activities, like paddle‐boarding, kayaking and snorkeling, 24-hour fitness center, a Heavenly Spa by Westin, and access to Denarau Golf & Racquet Club: 18-hole championship golf, driving range, plus tennis on well-maintained grass courts and an infinity pool and lagoon-style swimming pool with cabanas.  

While at the resort, I enjoyed a delicious sunset dinner at Tatavu Grill & Bar and a traditional fire dance ceremony. Fijian fire dancing symbolizes bravery, spiritual connection, cultural heritage, and storytelling through dance. Next, I visited the gorgeous Fiji Marriott Momi Bay on the southwest coast of Viti Levu, about a 45-minute drive from the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort.  

The Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay is renowned as the only mainland resort in Fiji that features iconic overwater Bure villas (a bure is a traditional Fijian wooden hut historically serving as a home, community hall, or meeting place). It is known for its luxurious status as 100% Fijian-owned, its calming artificial lagoon, three large swimming pools, and Quan Spa. While there, I participated in a Fijian cooking class, where I learned to make two traditional Fijian dishes: Fijian Kokoda and Fijian Fish in Lolo. Both meals were delicious and easy to make, as the fish and coconut milk served as the base after I had a relaxing spa session.

The next day, I woke up refreshed and ready to take on the day. I started early with a productive outside yoga session and pool time at their breathtaking infinity pool club.  

After a restful morning, I headed to Tau Village, which is 15 minutes away from Fiji Marriott Momi Bay. At Tau Village, I learned more about Fijian culture by participating in a kava ceremony in the village’s bure. A kava ceremony is a traditional ritual in Fijian cultures used to welcome guests, mark important occasions, or build community bonds. The ceremony involves sharing a non-alcoholic, earthy drink made from the root of the Piper methysticum plant, which fosters relaxation.  

The village members also invited me to dance with them. I couldn’t refuse the offer and found so much joy in doing a traditional Meke dance, which combines storytelling with rhythmic movement to convey legends and history.  

My departing gift was a private breakfast Picnic at Vonu Beach, all to myself. Talk about a luxurious experience!  

Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji  

While I enjoyed both resorts, Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji, was my favorite. I loved how remote and intimate it was, and fell in love with how caring the people there were. Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji is a premium beachfront resort in the stunning Mamanuca Islands. To get to the resort from Fiji Marriott Momi Bay, I took a private boat ride that lasted one hour. When I arrived, I marveled at the white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and plush rainforest surroundings. On my first night there, I had dinner at a private cabana overlooking the water.  

The next day, after lounging the entire afternoon on the beach, I participated in a garland-making class, which in Fijian culture is also known as a salusalu, a cultural symbol of respect, love, and hospitality, often presented to guests to signify a warm welcome. After class, I had several spa treatments at the Tokoriki Retreat Spa, including a deep-tissue and foot massage. To end the restful day, I crafted cocktails at the resort’s private helipad, typically reserved for VIP arrivals. 

To end my wonderful time in Fiji, I observed the staff at the Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, beautifully sing their traditional farewell song, “Isa Lei,” which represents heartfelt sorrow, gratitude, and enduring love. The song is designed to evoke an intimate emotional connection rather than just a simple goodbye, emphasizing cherished memories, warm hospitality, and the hope of a future reunion – and trust me, I do hope to return to Fiji.  

My trip to Fiji rekindled my passion for travel, and reminded me that the simple things in life that really matter, like togetherness, community, and being grateful for life itself. I am grateful for my time in Fiji, as it reminded me of the purpose of world travel: to be connected to others through personhood and spirit.  

Emma Grede’s “3-hour mom” comment is causing a tidal wave online, complete with mind-blown emojis, side-eyes, and plenty of tea. The British entrepreneur, investor, and author made the remark while discussing motherhood, ambition, and work during her recent book tour for Start With Yourself, and Black women are not letting it slide.

Although I’m not a mom yet, I’ve watched the constant juggling from the women in my life. I’ve seen the single mother with twins teaching, nurturing, and providing emotional and social support while also carrying the weight of the household. I’ve seen co-parents and married mothers still bear most of the emotional labor, scheduling, and the doctors’ appointments, care that keeps a family running.

That’s why the idea of a “3-hour mom” hit a nerve.

Grede explained her philosophy as being present for the big moments that become emotionally ingrained, the “core memories,” instead of micromanaging every minute of her four children’s lives. In a recent Breakfast Club interview, @mykasoreal defended Grede in the comments, saying she’s home at 5:30 every evening, makes dinner, and handles her kids’ bedtime routine—which is fair. But many Black women perceived another tone beyond the talking points.

Some saw the comment as a way of shrinking motherhood into a cute little box with the perfect bow. Others argued it only sounds empowering if you already have wealth, help, flexibility, and a level of support most women do not have. Grede’s view ignores how Black mothers in this country historically had to hold everything down due to systems beyond their control—not just a philosophy.

That tension is part of why the reaction spread so fast across the internet. For many Black women, work-life balance is not a neat conversation. It is a lived reality. 

On X, users like @iamKierraD and @ronkelawal pushed back on the idea that visibility alone determines advancement, while others noted that Black women have long faced barriers even when physically present in the workplace.

A 2021 WerkLabs study found Black mothers were twice as likely as white and Asian mothers to report handling more than 90 percent of household labor. Lean In and McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace research has also shown Black women continue to face one of the steepest promotion gaps in corporate America.

So no, the internet is not just upset over a phrase. People are responding to what it represents: class privilege, uneven labor, and a version of motherhood that feels out of reach, if not flat-out disconnected. 

There’s a difference between dressing a character and dressing a legacy.

For Marci Rodgers, the costume designer behind Michael, that difference wasn’t theoretical. It was stitched into every seam, every rhinestone, every bead that refused to be mistaken for a sequin. Because when the subject is Michael Jackson, accuracy isn’t aesthetic. It’s obligation. Rodgers spoke to an intimate group of fashion insiders at an advanced screening of Michael in partnership with the Black in Fashion Council and Lionsgate. Moderated by Asia Ware of The Cut.

And Rodger understood the assignment in a way that felt less like hiring and more like destiny.

“Do you really want to know the answer?” she says of landing the role. “It was God. And that’s the only answer.”

That kind of certainty carries weight. The kind that shows up in the work.

From Jet Magazine to the Big Screen

Before there were fittings, there was research. Not the kind you Google and call it a day, but the kind you inherit.

Rodgers’ foundation started in her parents’ house, flipping through old issues of Jet and EBONY, watching archived footage on YouTube, absorbing Michael Jackson the way many Black households did, not as a distant icon but as part of the cultural furniture.

But nostalgia alone doesn’t build a wardrobe that holds up under scrutiny. So she went further. She studied garments in person. Examined construction. Questioned what she thought she knew.

Case in point: the GRAMMY jacket.

What the internet told you was sequins, Rodgers clocked as beads. Tiny, precise, unforgiving beads that required sourcing at a level most people wouldn’t even think to attempt. That wasn’t extra. That was the job.

“I’m very proud of myself when it came to the devil in the details,” she says, and it doesn’t read as ego. It reads as standard.

The Jackson Five Was the Blueprint

Ask her favorite era, and she won’t give you a singular look. She gives you a philosophy.

“All of them,” she says. And she means it.

Still, she circles back to the Jackson Five. Not out of nostalgia, but because that’s where the story starts. That’s the foundation. That Midwest energy. That early discipline. That first glimpse of what greatness could look like before it had a name.

It’s also where Rodgers found herself in the work. A kid from the Midwest translating another kid from the Midwest, both shaped by environment before the world stepped in.

From there, the film moves through different “beats” of Michael’s life, and Rodgers tracks each one with precision. No improvisation, no reinterpretation for the sake of ego. Just fidelity to what was.

When You Can’t Replicate, You Respect

Of course, not everything could be recreated exactly.

The Pepsi commercial jacket, for instance, lives behind the walls of intellectual property. Ownership matters, legally and culturally. So Rodgers did what great designers do when the door is closed. She got as close as possible without crossing the line.

“I definitely wanted to replicate it,” she says. “But that was beyond my control.”

That tension between authenticity and limitation is where lesser work falls apart. Here, it forced a different kind of creativity. One rooted in respect, not reinvention.

Clothes as Method Acting

If the clothes looked lived in, it’s because they were.

Jafar Jackson didn’t just wear the costumes when cameras were rolling. He needed them in rehearsal. Needed the weight of the jacket, the restriction, the layering. Needed the physical cues that turn movement into memory.

Rodgers adapted in real time. Adjusting shoes because his feet were taking damage. Reworking garments so they could move with him, not against him.

Because here’s the thing about Michael Jackson. The clothes weren’t decoration. They were part of the performance.

And when it clicked, Rodgers felt it.

“That wasn’t Jafar,” she says. “That was Michael.”

Accuracy Is a Love Language

The pressure of dressing Michael Jackson isn’t just about the man. It’s about the people who remember him.

The fans who will pause, rewind, zoom in, and dissect every frame. The band members who see themselves reflected in the background. The family members who were actually there.

Rodgers kept all of them in mind.

“It’s not just Michael that had to look right,” she explains. “His entire world had to feel accurate.”

That meant hundreds of background actors dressed with the same level of intention as the lead. Screenshots layered over screenshots. A desktop full of references. A team operating like historians with sewing machines.

And when a real-life band member walked up and said, “I just saw myself,” that was the confirmation. Not applause. Recognition.

Manifestation, But Make It Work Ethic

Rodgers’ entry into costume design reads like a story you’d side-eye if it wasn’t backed by this level of output.

Howard University. A declaration with no blueprint. A study abroad stint at Central Saint Martins. A random walk into a costume design department. A full ride offer that followed.

“I manifested it,” she says.

But manifestation, in this case, wasn’t passive. It was paired with obsession. With a willingness to learn the difference between a bead and a sequin and then rebuild an entire jacket around that distinction.

Legacy Isn’t Loud. It’s Precise.

At a certain point, the conversation shifts from Michael’s legacy to Rodgers’ own.

And she doesn’t lean into grandeur. She leans into responsibility.

“My legacy is to be accurate,” she says. “To honor the greats who shaped our culture.”

It’s a quiet statement, but it lands heavy. Because in an industry that often rewards interpretation over integrity, Rodgers is choosing documentation. Preservation. Truth.

And maybe that’s the real takeaway from Michael. Not just that greatness can be recreated, but that it requires someone willing to study it, respect it, and get every single detail right.

Even the ones most people would miss.