Gabrielle Union, 'Hair Love' team, invite student who refused to cut his dreadlocks to Oscars
A teen who garnered national attention after refusing to trim his dreadlocks to honor his school's new dress code will now walk the Oscars red carpet with actress Gabrielle Union.
Deandre Arnold, a senior in Mont Belvieu, Texas, said school officials told him he couldn't return or walk at graduation until he cut his long dreadlocks.
Arnold, his family members and activists attended a school board meeting in January to protest the haircut request, ABC News reported in January.
Along with husband Dwyane Wade, Union, who's one of the producers of the Oscar-nominated short film "Hair Love," invited Arnold to the 2020 Academy Awards after hearing Arnold's story.
"Hair Love" tells the story of a father who learns how to do his daughter’s hair for the first time.
"Hair is such an intimate thing, especially if somebody is doing your hair," Matthew A. Cherry, the writer and co-director of the animated film told "Good Morning America" Feb. 3.
Cherry recently announced via Twitter that Arnold and his family will be flown out to Los Angeles for Oscars night with Wade and Union taking care of their lodging and car service. Personal care brand Dove will be taking care of the tickets, wardrobe and beauty treatments, Cherry added.
"He reminded me a lot of myself and we both have locs," Cherry told "GMA." "It’s already hard for young kids when they're in school and they're coming into their own, and on top of that -- now you have to deal with some crazy rule change three months before you graduate, saying you have to cut your hair that you've been growing since the seventh grade or you won’t be able to graduate. It’s unfair and it’s not right."
"I was really proud that he stood up for himself and didn't cut his hair," he added.
In a video tweeted by Cherry, he, Union and Wade addressed Arnold and delivered the news of his Oscars invite.
"When we heard about this amazing story of a young black father with long, beautiful locks just trying to figure out how to do his daughter's hair, we knew that we had to support any way we could," Union said in the video, drawing parallels between Arnold's story and "Hair Love."
She went on, "The same way as when we heard about your story and you just wanting to wear your hair the way you want at school, and all the scrutiny you face and how unwavering you have been in standing up for yourself."
"We love the way that you carry yourself, and we wanted to do something special for you," Wade added.
Cherry concluded the announcement -- saying that Arnold is "such a good kid" and how he's been inspired by his story, "This is the very least we can do to thank you for standing up for yourself and for your right to wear your natural hair at school," Cherry said.
Cherry told "GMA" that the Oscars invite is an opportunity to "continue the conversation around The Crown Act and how that legislation which makes hair discrimination illegal needs to go nationwide. Most of all, he hopes Arnold knows he's supported and is able to relax and enjoy the glitz and glamour of the night.
"I hope he and his mom have a chance to meet some of their favorite stars, and have a cool chill night after all the craziness that's been happening around that situation with his school," Cherry said.
The Oscars airs Feb. 9 on ABC.
