Celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakeem has sparked a discussion in the entertainment industry after sharing a strongly worded note on social media about the treatment of creative professionals working behind the scenes in films, shoots and celebrity appearances. Aalim used Instagram to talk about the importance of respecting the cast and crew members who help build a celebrity’s public image.
Aalim Hakim says he will stop working with actors whose “managers” disrespect hairdressers, make-up artists and crew.
In his note posted on May 15, 2026, Aalim wrote, “Respect the artists behind the star. Hairdressers. Make-up artists. Stylists. Assistants. Crew members. Please don’t call them ‘just staff’.”
She highlighted the demanding nature of creative work in the entertainment industry, writing, “Behind every public appearance, every red carpet moment, every movie look, every photoshoot, every close-up… there are creative people quietly giving their hearts, their time, their talent and their energy to make someone shine.”
The hair stylist also reflected on the personal sacrifices many crew members make while working in the industry. He shared, “Many of these actors leave their homes before sunrise. Stand for countless hours. Miss festivals, birthdays, families, sleep and peace… just to ensure that the actor they work with looks and feels the best.”
Aalim’s statement appeared to directly address examples of disrespect and rude behavior of crew members by representatives associated with celebrities. Without naming anyone, he wrote, “It is heartbreaking to see managers speaking rudely, belittling people, having bad attitudes, or expressing frustration at innocent crew members, especially for mistakes that are not even theirs.”
He also said that such behavior can negatively impact an actor’s public image unless they are always aware of it. “Sometimes actors don’t even realize how much damage is being done to their image, reputation and energy because of the behavior of the people representing them outside the vanity van,” he said.
At the end of the note, Aalim revealed that he and his team have taken a strictly professional stance on the issue. “We have decided to abstain from working with actors whose teams disrespect, abuse or mistreat any creative professional or crew member,” they wrote.
The post received support from many industry members. Rajkummar Rao commented, “Absolutely sir. Respect and equality are two extremely important things,” while filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan wrote, “Awesome Aalim.”
The post sparked widespread discussion online about workplace culture in the entertainment industry and the need to acknowledge the contributions of technicians, stylists, makeup artists and other creative professionals who work behind the scenes.
