New Episode of “Sydney to the Max” Explores the Beauty of Black Hair

Disney Channel’s Sydney to the Max will explore the beauty and complexities of Black hair in a new episode premiering on Friday, April 30.

What’s Happening:

  • In a new episode of Sydney to the Max, “The Hair Switch Project,” Sydney will start to question her straight hairstyle when her classmate Jada suggests wearing it naturally, sending Sydney on a journey about her cultural identity and the memories of her late mom, Alisha.
  • “The Hair Switch Project” was written by Kourtney Richard and directed by Morenike Joela.
  • The series stars Ian Reed Kesler as Max, Caroline Rhea as Judy Reynolds (in both decades), Ava Kolker as Sydney’s best friend Olive, Jackson Dollinger as young Max, and Christian J. Simon as young Max’s best friend, Leo.
  • Returning guest stars include Cassidey Fralin as young Alisha, Carlease Burke as Maya (in both decades), and Julia Garcia as Emmy. Additional guest stars include Princess K. Mapp as Sydney’s classmate Jada, Shakira Ja’nai Paye as hairstylist Kellyn, and Nakia Burise as Nina in the ’90s.
  • Sydney to the Max is created by writer, showrunner and executive producer Mark Reisman (Frasier, Wings).

About the New Episode:

“Sydney begins to question her straight hairstyle after her classmate Jada suggests that she try wearing her hair naturally sometimes. This sends Sydney on a hair journey tied to her cultural identity and memories of her late mom, Alisha. Her dad Max tries to help, but Sydney is still at a loss and calls on her grandmother Maya. Back in the ’90s, young Alisha is faced with a different hair dilemma when school picture day rolls around, and her mom has booked a salon appointment for her to get a relaxer. Alisha doesn’t know what to do because she loves her naturally coifed hair and feels like she loses a piece of herself every time she gets it straightened.”

You can check out the episode of Sydney to the Max when it premieres on Disney Channel on Friday, April 30 at 8:25 pm ET/PT. You can also catch the show on DisneyNOW.

Sign up for Disney+ or the Disney Streaming Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu) now