Nikiya Mathis

Nikiya Mathis is an actress and Hair/wig designer. She is the recipient of the 2024 Special Tony Award for her recent work on Jaja's African Hair Braiding, the first Wig designer to ever receive a special Tony award for a specific work. And one of two wig designers to ever recieve the highest honor in theater. She has received 2 Henry Hewes Design Awards, a Drama Desk Award, the Kathleen Perkins Behind the Curtain Award from Black Women on Broadway, and is one of only 2 African American wig designers to win Obie Awards.

Nikiya is also a classically trained actress who holds an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. As a multi-hyphenate, She currently recurs in the role of N’kiyah Franklin in POWER BOOK 3 RAISING KANAN on STARZ. Her other TV credits include THE BLACKLIST, CHICAGO MED, BRAINDEAD, NEW AMSTERDAM, BLUE BLOODS, THE NIGHT OF, and others.

In theater, she has originated roles in world-premiere plays, including Oscar-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney's THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS, at the Public Theatre, Olivier Award-winner Dominique Morrisseau's SKELETON CREW at Atlantic Theatre, Kirsten Greenidge's MILK LIKE SUGAR at Playwrights Horizon's, Pulitzer-Prize winner Lynn Nottage's NY revival of FABULATION; OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE at the Signature Theater, and others.

Her hair journey started after years of hearing the complaints of her peers and experiencing her own hair horror stories in theater and on television sets, Nikiya created ActTRESSES Hair by Nikiya otherwise known as Our Black Tresses, which specializes in wig design and styling for actors of color in film, TV, and theater.

She has built and provided wigs for various TV shows, such as THE GUILDED AGE & BEL-AIR. And her Broadway wig design credits include: HOME; The Heart of Rock & Roll; Once Upon A One More Time; Death of A Salesman; Top Dog/Underdog & Chicken & Biscuits. Her off Broadway credits include the reimagining of “Cats, the Jellicle Ball” at the Perelman Performing Arts Center; "Table 17" at MCC Theater, “Primary Trust” at the Roundabout Theater; “This Land Was Made” at the Vineyard Theater; “A Raisin in the Sun” at The Public Theatre, “Nollywood Dreams” at MCC, “Primary Trust” at Roundabout Theatre, “The Cotillion” at the Movement Theatre Co; “Stew” at Soho Rep; “Crowndation” at National Black Theater, “This Land Was Made” at Vineyard Theatre, “Stew” at Soho Rep and more.

Finally, Nikiya provides workshops called "HAIRversations", for Actors of color, which are geared toward providing solutions to the "hair" question in auditioning, casting, working in theater and on set.

She also teaches hair/wig design masterclasses for universities & organizations, across the country, including NYU Tisch Graduate Costume Design, Yale, & Princeton universities, among others.