A Perth hairdresser never imagined she would help change the stereotypes and 'hairography' of America's most iconic NFL cheerleading team, but she did just that.
Kirsten Smith's role in Faith Ward's DCC journey
Kirsten Smith styled Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Faith Ward's hair for the audition headshot seen in the new season of Netflix's America's Sweethearts. Ward, a Perth dancer, heavily features in the show after making the team last year.
Following the 2025 team announcement, DCC fans noticed Ward was the only cheerleader with her hair in a ponytail, contrary to the traditional hair-down look. DCC director Kelli Finglass's decision to break tradition caused some uproar among fans, but Ward was happy, admitting her head sweat didn't make for the most aesthetic look.
Smith, who has been hairdressing for 13 years, said the original ponytail was born after Ward asked her to do her hair for updated dancing portfolio photos after leaving a job on cruise ships.
Creating the signature ponytail
“We knew we wanted to do a sleek ponytail so that she could dance easily and for her photographer to capture the best content of her dancing, but also her face,” Smith said. She created the look with hair extensions and her signature “45Degree” height, which allows the ponytail to be seen from the front and helps elevate Ward's cheekbones.
Smith, based at Bayse Collective in Mount Hawthorn, said it was surreal seeing her work on the hit show. “I had to watch it a few times to really let it sink in.”
“When Faith first told me that she was auditioning for the Cowboys, I was so excited for her. I knew she had used the headshot of the ponytail we did together in her portfolio application,” Smith said. “Seeing it on Netflix, and it was shown a fair few times, was surreal. I felt so proud both of her and of myself, and the makeup artist Ella Cromey — our work was on an international platform that millions of people watched.”
Smith added, “When Faith told me that Kelli wanted her hair to look exactly like her photo, I was like 'Well, when do I jump on the plane?' But jokes aside, I really feel like it was the smartest move she made. Even though my part is small, I feel a quiet pride knowing we helped change the face of DCC stereotypes and 'hairography'.”
Embracing evolution over tradition
While Smith is a fan of the DCC's hair-down look, she is a “realist hairstylist”. “An individual's unique hair type and ability to hold a curl, and, as Faith said, 'head sweat' factor, are paramount to aesthetics,” she said. “I get that some fans are up in arms about it for tradition's sake, but at the end of the day, it just shows how the DCC are open to evolving, and they obviously wanted her so much that they were willing to change this. It's a huge compliment.”
Smith first met Ward, who was born in Wellington, when she did her hair for her 21st birthday party and has styled her for special occasions over the last two years. “If you know Faith, you know that she is one of the most humble, authentic people out there,” Smith said. “How you see her on the show is literally how she is in real life. I think I feel most proud of how she represents herself with such authenticity and grace, and obviously the fact she is a Perth local is awesome too.”
Ward is the first New Zealander to make the DCC and the third Australian, following former members Angela Nicotera Brown and Jinelle Esther. The 2026 DCC team is expected to be announced this month.
