Oprah Winfrey is going big this season in more ways than one. Yes, she will soon appear in The Butler, a star-studded historical picture in which she plays the wife of the title character. That film, about a White House butler who serves as a witness to history, will be in theaters on August 16 — and is gearing up to make a giant splash.
But before then, the media queen is treating the public to a larger-than-life hairstyle via the mega-wig she sports for the September issue of O magazine.
“Just revealed this new cover of O, The Oprah Magazine — one of my faves ever,” Winfrey announced on her Facebook page yesterday. “Let’s talk about HAIR! Love this cover so much, I’m making it my new profile pic!”
“Ohhh, I love BIG HAIR TOO OPRAH!!! You look like a doll here ! Great choice, I agree!” responded one of her fans.
Nicknamed “wild thing” by the star, the three-and-one-half pound afro wig was designed by celebrity stylist Kim Kimble, star of the reality show L.A. Hair, and loaned to Oprah’s personal hairstylist Andre Walker.
In a behind the scenes question and answer session regarding the cover shoot, Walker revealed some details about Oprah’s personal hair care routines.
“Lately she’s really having fun with more natural looks,” Walker said in an interview on Oprah.com. “She has very little relaxer in her hair now, so we’ve been exploring her natural texture, twisting or braiding and then setting it free! I’ve been using my new product line, the Gold System, on her because it’s formulated for kinky and curly hair.”
The ‘Hair’ issue of September O will focus on how women can get the best from their locks, and even features some revelations from Winfrey herself about her challenges in achieving perfect styles.
“My own hair is shorter, not quite [so] spherical, and a lot lighter. But that doesn’t mean it never gives me grief. When it comes to hair, I’m in the same boat as most every other woman,” she states in an essay in her monthly glossy.
Winfrey has made self-revelation and sharing the details of her personal journey a central part of her style of interacting with fans.
Famously, during the late ’80s Winfrey carted a wagon full of animal fat on stage during one of her shows to illustrate the dramatic weight loss she had experienced at the time.
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter @lexisb.