Dallas, Texas native Shunika Terry has styled the coifs of many well known actors and actress in the film/entertainment industry.
In 1997, Terry obtained her Cosmetologist License a few months before graduating high school. Shunika went on to attend the University of North Texas where she eventually turned her dorm room into a mini salon. After her freshman year at UNT, Shunika left to take her first position as a hairstylist at a well known salon in Arlington, TX. That’s where she built a huge clientele in the Dallas-Ft.Worth metroplex.
In 1998, she attended her first major hair show in Atlanta, GA. While there she came across the Dudley’s Cosmetology University and decided to enroll. Terry took a strong liking to the process of healthy hair. With the knowledge she received while attending Dudley’s, Shunika was able to retain very important information that she soon brought back to her salon to utilize for the benefit of her clientele.
In 2001, Shunika attended Tony & Guy Academy where she studied Precision Hair Cuts. These skills were utilized to enhance the art of Shunika’s performance and 9 years later she would return to Tony & Guy to work in one of their many salons. The knowledge and training she received would help assist her in the film and tv work that was headed her way.
In 2005, Terry had her first television production experience working with a few local Dj’s in Dallas. After these experiences, Shunika was intrigued to explore all of her creative abilities in the hair industry. This ignited her entry to major film and television productions.
In 2007, Shunika was asked to be the Key Hairstylist for Kings of The Evening starring Lynn Whitfield and Tyson Beckford. This would serve as Shunika’s first feature film. The movie was a period piece set during the Great Depression era and Terry was able to implement Marcel Waving techniques which she acquired from her studies at Dudley University, to assist in the design of the looks for the characters. Shunika would explore reading her first script and using her creative abilities to conceptually design what hairstyles were appropriate for each character.
From that film, Shunika developed a close relationship with actress Lynn Whitfield who requested Shunika to be her personal hairstylist for her upcoming role in “Mama I Want to Sing”. This was the jumpstart to Shunika’s soon to be flourishing career in the film industry.
In 2008, Shunika moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. She began the next chapter of her career by entering into the film world full force. While working in Louisiana she worked with and was mentored by some of the top wig masters in the industry. This is where Shunika would discover her niche for designing and proper usage of wigs.
In 2009, Shunika relocated to Atlanta, Georgia and landed her first Department Head position on the movie “Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming.”
From that movie forward, Shunika has served as Key Hairstylist and head of Department for many feature films and Episodics. The films and TV shows Terry has worked on are very diverse which has given her the opportunity to use the skills she acquired in the past to work with all ethnicities. Shunika has worked on shows such as Single Ladies Season 2 to House of Cards Season 1 & 2. She has worked with some heavy hitters in the film/ television world such as Lynn Whitfield, Kate Mara, Lisa Raye, Melissa McCarthy, Keke Palmer, Kim Kardashian, Tika Sumpter, Will Sasso,Tyson Beckford, Tyler James Williams, Brandy Norwood, Jennifer Hudson and the list goes on. And there’s more to come for Ms. Terry’s future in the film and beauty industry.
There’s nothing like reading a script, creating a character and watching it come to life on the screen.” – Shunika Terry