Celebrity Coverage
How Ursula Stephen Tackled All of Zendaya’s ‘Challengers’ Premiere Hair

Justin Tallis/Getty Images
It’s no wonder that Zendaya won fans over along with her stunning glamor (2024) premiere ahead of today’s nationwide release. Dyeing her hair honey blonde, the actress kicked off her latest romantic sports film – during which she plays tennis star-turned-coach “Tashi” – with striking hairstyles, viral tennis braids and bouffant ’70s hairstyles.
“One of the things I love most about working with Zendaya is the challenge,” celebrity hairstylist Urszula Stefan says ESSENCE. Using an intensive arsenal of hair care products, Stephen supports the actress in taking care of her hair health with low-temperature hairstyles. “I’m always finding alternative ways to create these fantastic red carpet and editorial looks using the right products.”
Game, set, match! Below, Stephen breaks down all the gorgeous moments from Zendaya’s tour.
‘Old Money’: Sydney, March 26

The first stop on Zendaya’s press tour was a blonde bob and a courtside ride. “We wanted to feel the atmosphere of old money,” says Stephen. Referring to the million-dollar tennis clubs in old Hollywood mansions, her fashion stylist Law Roach “wanted it to appear like she was dragging [her hair] she got up on her own. As if she was just walking off the court with a racket in her hand, Zendaya turned her perky bob right into a feathered hairstyle paired with a Loewe gown for the State Theater ballgame.
After shampooing and conditioning, Stephen prepped his hair with conditioner Heat protection foundation and drying with a SexHair dryer before you blow it out. “Once the hair was blown out, I added Velcro rollers to each section to add volume,” she says. “After styling my hair, I removed the rollers and brushed the hair to soften the look” – hence the feathery, flying details. Then she added volume with The Hair Shop 18 inch tight clip ins round her head, teasing her brown roots, before gathering her hair right into a low bun and securing the look with rubber bands and pins.
“Finally, I styled my fringe and left it down to frame my face for a casual look,” closing it with Big SexyHair And Play volumizing hairspray.
“The bomb explodes”: Paris, April 6

Heading to Paris, Zendaya visited town for the second time in two months (the primary for her premiere) and third time this yr. But it so happens that she showed three looks in someday. First, the old French money look with a white headband worn with Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs checkerboard coat. Then she livened up her upturned bob with a playful bang. She ended the night at UGC Normandie with a bombshell paired with Bulgari diamonds.
For that last look, Stephen stretched out Healthy Smooth Stunner Blowout sexy hair cream, blow-dry the actress’s hair straight for a silky finish. Then she added, from the neck to the temple clip-in clips from The Hair Shop so as to add length to your bob. “The Hair Shop has the best color selection to highlight Zendaya’s new blonde look,” he says, who looked like Sandy Blonde (#840). After application heat protectantStephen went through the spraying section by section Big Sexy Stay hairspray Intense hold before curling your hair with a big curling iron.
“Since we wanted a smooth and shiny look, I added a few drops The Hair Shop silk drops to enhance the shine,” she says. “I brushed my hair and tucked it behind my ears on both sides to make it effortless,” after which applied hairspray to carry it in place overnight.
“Sharon’s Stone in Rome”: Rome, April 8

“We wanted to create a strong but sexy effect. Think: Sharon Stone – she was our inspiration,” says Stephen. During the third stop of the tour, Zendaya showed off her claw-clip hairstyle in Rome. With Stone’s major 65-year power outage cleared, the 27-year-old stepped into the role of leading lady in . To do that, “we began with clean, damp hair and added SexoHair root and root pump– says Stefan. “This volumizing spray mousse will give us the firmness and lift we need to maintain all night long.”
Drying his hair away from his head, Stephen added volume after which curled the mid-sections with a big curling iron. Silk drops from her Parisian bombshell were massaged in, making her hair shine like Bulgari jewels. “Then we caressed the top of her hair, used a brush to tie it into a low bun, secured it with a rubber band, and pinned the loose hair close to her head.” As the ultimate detail, the hairdresser pulled and separated the crown, after which the style was set with volumizing hairspray.
‘Braid and Bow’: London, April 10

In London style, Stephen referenced Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova. It’s probably essentially the most overt nod to the “literal approach to the braid and bow,” she says. As easy because the look – combined with the custom Thom Browne a sporty halter-neck mesh dress and red lips – the execution had us wondering. A chunk the scale of 1 / 4 Strongly holding SexHair Hard Up gel the look began; apply to your complete length of the hair, hairline and nape for strong hold.
“Then we combed the hair into a ponytail and secured it with a rubber band,” she says before putting it on Wrapped ponytail in a hairdressing shop extension for an extended look. Holding the extension with hairspray, “we braided the ponytail, securing it with a tiny invisible elastic band.”
“Unfinished Do”: Los Angeles, April 16

“We didn’t want to compete with the dress,” says Stephen, referring to the deconstructed version of Zendaya Vera Wang ball gown. At home in Los Angeles, the actress’ lace bra mimicked underwear, and her hair complemented her bedtime outfit well. “We thought simplicity was the most sensible thing,” says the hairdresser. “The slightly open lacing matched the sex appeal of the corset.” The bedhead ballerina bun, prepared with blowout cream, was blow-dried with a voluminous root.
Adding narrow clips to the highest of her head, “I then tied all the hair into a ponytail, secured it with a rubber band, and then twisted and pinned the hair into a donut,” she says. The well-rested look would not be complete without some texturizing powder, which Stephen applied to the hairline and nape of the neck. While working with the product, she “used her fingertips to move the hair in circular motions to create a fluffy, airy, ‘messy’ texture.” In this manner, the unfinished “done” is the right style to finish a month-long press tour.
Celebrity Coverage
“I was not intelligent”: Kelli Ferrell Rhoa about the almost loss of her activity after the Estrained husband took all the money from it – essence

When Kelli Ferrell launched her culinary brand, Chicken and waffles nanyShe brought a vision and half of the investment capital – her husband, she says, from now on coping with funds. It was a dynamics that seemed efficient and supportive – until it was. In the last episode, Ferrell revealed that her alienated husband allegedly emptied business accounts, almost launching his beloved restaurant to Earth.
“I wasn’t smart,” says Essence in sitting. “I trusted him everything.”
Ferrella’s story is each deeply personal and deeply familiar. In various industries of women – especially wife and company owners – often encouraged to “allow men to deal with money”. But this trust can bring a destructive cost. Ferrell is now in the process of rebuilding its activities and recovery of financial control. Her story increases the growing conversation about financial sensitivity, from which many ladies stand once they abandon control or transparency of their business matters. After its recovery, a robust narrative about immunity, money management and the importance of being an lively participant in your personal financial history emerges.
Ferrell’s experience is not unique. According to 2023 UBS report, over 50% of married women are postponing long -term financial decisions for his or her spousesA trend that’s much more common amongst women in color. Although the intention might be rooted in trust or division of work, the consequences might be tragic: hidden debt, exhausted bills and loss of business or retirement assets.
In one other study conducted by National equipment of financial education, almost 30% of adults admit “financial infidelity”—Thee accounts, expenses or debts from their partners. And yet many ladies are still socialized to give attention to the protective facets of relationships and business, leaving “monetary things” to another person.
He played this trail in a recently broadcast episode, when Ferrell explained to the viewers that she had taken all the money she allocated to the opening of the second location of the restaurant.
“Everything has been combined”, shares with Essence, when asked about the financial structure of her and her ex -husband. “When people say,” How did he steal money? “It is because he controlled finances. ”
Ferrell explained that as a southern girl (from Maryland, but she became a resident in Georgia in 2003), the wives were considered to be an equivalent in a relationship.
“When you have a business partner, some partners are based on certain things,” he says. “What I did in the industry was running a company. I was the face of the company. I did cooking programs. I was the one who appeared in the media. I was the one who would be in the rooms, and let him run in the background and say:” Hey, be certain that you meet an accountant, I made sure that you just manage your funds. ” And he coped with this stuff.
The bitter divorce has develop into much more controversial attributable to the division of assets, the details of that are playing in public. In fact, just before my interview with Ferrell, a report He broke about the Ferrell settlement.
According to Intouch Weekly, the court in Georgia ordered the parties to share the joint legal care of their three children from Kella granted primary care. Introuch also informed that Ferrell’s ex -husband was ordered to pay almost USD 12,000 per 30 days for maintenance and health maintenance; Ferrell also received USD 175,000 from the company.
Unlike many ladies, Ferrella’s settlement was based to her, something she says for her grateful.
Now, approaching the end of her divorce proceedings, Ferrell is not very proud to confess that she made fiscal mistakes and can not allow them to repeat. The biggest lesson? Never let anyone have full control over your funds, irrespective of how you like yourself.
“I need to make use of this platform, which I actually have to share with one other woman or one other man, that although love is amazing, things can go left and things develop into nasty. So you will have to be smart. I was not smart. Thank God that the judge was in a position to see the truth. But what if it wasn’t? Marriage and love.
Celebrity Coverage
New music this week: Summer Walker, Coco Jones, Burna Boy and more – ESENCE

Happy Friday, people. With the looks of Maja, a brand new musical composition this week falls into the energy of renewal and re -control. From introspective ballads to anthem ready for the stadium, these editions reflect love, life and all the things in between.
One of essentially the most convincing offers this week is cooperation between 3 Chainz and the legendary Brothers Isley Brothers, a mixture of tenches of hip-hop and soul. “Sweet Love” Burna Boy and the windy “vacay” aminé also remind us that global rhythms and mixing of species at the moment are the norm, not an exception, and whether it’s a stuffy “spend” Summer Walker or Coco Jones combines strength Lady London In “It Mine” artists enter the season with confidence. Today’s list also includes the music of Jorji Smith, Tiany Major9, Weside Gunn and others.
Look at the most effective recent editions this week.
Celebrity Coverage
Shedeur Sanders responds after the son of the NFL coach apologizes for Day Day Prank – Essence

Boulder, CO – April 19: was the playmaker in Colorado Buffaloes, Shedeur Sanders, looks at the retirement ceremony in front of the black and golden spring game on Field Field Field 19 April 2025 in Boulder in Colorado. (Photo Dustin Bradford/Getty Images for Onit)
The road to NFL is full of excitement, nerves – and for Shedeur Sanders, unnecessary dispersion that nobody has seen.
Shedeur, who’s the son of the NFL legend and coach Colorado Deion Sanders, fell victim to unripe joke During the NFL sketch in 2025, which must be a momentous opportunity for him and his family. But this moment quickly overshadowed Jax Ulbrich, son of the defense coordinator of Atlanta Falcons Jeff Ulbrich.
When Sanders waited to listen to his name, which was called during the project, he received what he thinks was a changing life from the Saints of New Orleans. Sanders answered in the surroundings of family and friends, only for the caller (whom we later learned that Ulbrich) revealed that it was all a joke, telling him that “he would have to wait a little longer” before he suddenly disconnects.
Since then, Jax Ulbrich has published a public apology for his actions.
“On Friday evening I made an amazing mistake,” Ulbrich wrote on Instagram. “Shedeur, what I did was completely unforgivable, embarrassing and shameful. I’m so sorry that I took your moment, it was selfish and childish.”
The moment, captured to the video by brother Shedeur, Deion Sanders Jr. And he published in well -advanced media, he shows that Shedeur looked confused, asking, asking:
In addition to immaturity, there may be a much bigger problem here. NFL prospects are received by private phone numbers especially for communication with league staff during the project. Somehow Ulbrich gained access to this private channel, asking serious questions on the project of security protocols. Atlanta Falcons Since then, he apologized.
Black athletes like Sanders are already in the face of sufficient control. And let’s be honest – they were reacted in another way, the headlines would concern his attitude, not with a joke.
Despite the proven fact that many analysts are expected as the talent of the first round, Sanders unexpectedly slipped into the sketch, finally chosen by Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. While this development has change into one of the biggest stories of the sketch, Call Call added an unnecessary layer of humiliation to already difficult experience.
But Sanders? He got a high path.
Talking to the media after calling, he didn’t allow the wit to define his night.
“It didn’t really affect me,” he said. “I do not feed negativity. This is, of course, the guy was childish … but everyone does children’s things here and there.”
His mastery stood out. And truthfully, this isn’t a surprise. The son of “Prime Time” knows something about coping with the light of headlights and remaining grounding when he has the most significant.
In an interview with Essence, just before the NFL Deioners project, Sanders spoke about his suggestions for his sons about their future NFL and the way deeply rooted in faith. “The first thing we are talking about is that you will go where God wants you to go because he has already seen the path,” says Sanders. “Where we want to go, it may not be the right place, but where he wants us to go, it is certainly the right place.”
This incident is a reminder of additional obstacles that black athletes often encounter during their skilled journeys. What must be a pure holiday of exertions and Sanders’ achievements was partly overshadowed by an act of disrespect that he is anticipated to be kindly forgiven.
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