The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: Myha’la Herrold on What Harper’s Hair Reveals About Industry Season 4
Date: January 6, 2026
Hosts: Marlee Marius (Vogue Senior Editor) & Hannah Jackson (Fashion Writer)
Guest: Myha’la Herrold (Actor, Industry)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Marlee Marius and Hannah Jackson sit down with Myha’la Herrold, the breakout star of HBO’s Industry, ahead of its fourth season. The conversation goes beyond the finance jargon of the show to explore Harper Stern’s evolving persona, the intentional style choices (notably Harper’s braids), how Myha’la approaches performance, her personal relationship with clothes and identity, and heartfelt moments from her personal life and career. The episode also covers her journey from theater kid to TV star, her thoughts on nostalgia TV, reality shows, and a poignant return to her Jamaican roots.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Returning for Season 4 of Industry

• Feeling Like Veterans

  • Myha’la reflects on returning for an unexpected fourth season. After three seasons under contract, she and her co-stars felt both mature and at home.
    • “It felt very much like coming home... I feel mature in myself, mature in my understanding of the show. I think that was true for all of us. We all felt like veterans.” (05:13–05:55)

• Where is Harper Now?

  • Harper is now running her own book at Otto Mostyn’s firm, wielding more autonomy and power but still clashing with managers.
    • “She’s the one making the decisions on whose money gets traded where, where they're putting the money towards... She has employees and she’s running things.” (06:20–07:21)

• The Messiness of Harper

  • The first scene filmed featured a “really, really, really long speech” with new character Kwabina, reflecting Harper’s stress and the start of the season’s “mess.”
    • “It is, like, the beginning of the mess of the season for Harper.” (07:30–08:00)

2. Deciphering Financial Jargon

• From ‘Finance for Dummies’ to Contextual Acting

  • Myha’la started off Googling finance terms but now focuses on emotional intent rather than understanding every technical aspect.
    • “Now a lot of the words, a lot of the jargon is really familiar... I stopped trying to understand what all the words meant a really long time ago. It’s just not beneficial to me. I just need to know whether I’m doing a good thing or a bad thing, or I’m mad about it.” (08:17–09:17)

• The Show's Approach

  • Writers respect the audience’s intelligence and don’t oversimplify or spoon-feed context.
    • “Mickey and Conrad don’t want to spoon feed the audience...they’re assuming the audience is going to keep up with us.” (09:47–10:02)

3. Harper’s Braids as Character Arc

• Intentional Styling

  • Myha’la’s decision to give Harper human hair micro braids in season 4 is symbolic of her power and self-actualization.
    • “It’s gotta be the micro braids with the human hair. It’s gotta be the most expensive, high maintenance, most difficult thing, and the most elevated version of Harper.” (10:28–11:14)

• Transitioning Into Her ‘Rich Girl’ Era

  • “She has more money than she’s ever had, the most autonomy she’s ever had, and the most strength she’s had.” (11:15–11:24)

4. Fashion as Identity

• Costume Designer Collaboration

  • Worked closely with Laura K. Smith for Harper’s power suits, including a custom three-piece suit.
    • “That first shot...that gray, I think it's three piece suit, is a custom designed and custom made suit by Laura for Harper.” (12:14–12:23)

• Personal Approach to Style

  • For Myha’la, dressing is an expression of her mood and identity.
    • “Whatever I choose to put on my body...is just an expression of how I’m feeling on the inside that day...when the outside’s really matching the inside, that’s when I feel the most confident.” (13:23–13:59)

• Rebellion & Inspiration

  • School uniforms were stifling; she used accessories and hair for self-expression—sometimes resulting in discipline.
    • “Anything I could—accessories, scarves, socks, tights, hair bands—whatever I could do to add a little flavor.” (14:24–14:47)
  • Style icon: her mother, who would create vision boards with Vogue cutouts and craft unique outfits. (14:50–15:46)

5. Personal Stories and Growth

• Met Gala "Clapback"

  • Wore custom thigh-high Timbs after years of desiring real Timberlands—her mother’s story about knock-offs became a memorable “fashion clapback.”
    • “So then at the Met, I wore my very first pair of Timbs...the craziest clapback of all time.” (15:54–16:44)

• Relationship Origins

  • Myha’la’s fiancé first DM’d her as a fan, leading to a Zoom interview and, quickly, love.
    • “I hopped on a Zoom...meant to be on for a few minutes, and like, 40 minutes goes by, and by the end I was like, so where are you from?” (21:01–22:27)
    • “I was starstruck and quite literally immediately in love.” (22:28–22:48)

6. Memorable Behind-the-Scenes Moments

• Co-star Marissa Abella’s Wedding
  • Myha'la describes being a bridesmaid at Marissa’s wedding—a “big love fest” with Industry cast and a choreographed flash-dance. (23:14–24:41)

7. Career Paths: From Theatre to TV

• Theater Roots

  • Carnegie Mellon alum, musical theater major, lifelong dream of Broadway (specifically Elle Woods in Legally Blonde). (26:50–28:44)
  • High school story about demanding a callback for Elle Woods:
    • “I will only audition for the whole year’s worth of shows if you give me a callback for Elle Woods.” (28:04–28:44)

• Unexpected TV Career

  • Never imagined herself in TV/film; theater was the original plan.

• Early Music Experiences

  • Was in a Christian rock band led by her principal; loves singing, especially musical theater. (28:51–29:47)

8. Millennial/Gen Z Nostalgia and Internet Culture

• Tumblr Era & Digital Youth
  • Maintained a blog as a teen that got discovered by a teacher, leading to forced deletion.
    • “I was expressing my sadness and self-loathing on my Tumblr...and they made me delete it. It was really messed up.” (30:23–31:15)

9. Connection to Heritage

• Trip to Jamaica
  • Describes her first emotional landing in Jamaica, connecting with her heritage and the landscape.
    • “I just felt really overcome with some emotion. It wasn’t like, I can say it was, oh, I was so happy to finally be here...I just felt really overwhelmed—like a piece of my ancestral chain had just been connected.” (32:56–34:44)

10. Pop Culture Preferences

• TV & Movie Rewatches

  • Enjoys nostalgic comfort movies and TV in the fall, like Twilight, Harry Potter, Cinderella Story, and re-watching Nurse Jackie.
    • “I need yearning.” (36:14–36:18)
    • On Edie Falco and Nurse Jackie: “A master.” (36:44–36:49)

• Reality TV

  • Recently into “the secret lives of Mormon wives”; opinions on Whitney and her DWTS/Broadway moves.
    • “Whitney’s, like, trying to get her bag, but it’s so obvious.” (37:05–37:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the finance jargon of Industry:

  • “I stopped trying to understand what all the words meant a really long time ago. It’s just not beneficial to me. I just need to know whether I’m doing a good thing or a bad thing.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (09:14–09:17)

• On Harper’s season 4 look:

  • “It’s gotta be the micro braids with the human hair. It’s gotta be the most expensive, probably the most high maintenance, the most difficult thing, and the most elevated version of Harper.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (11:02–11:14)

• On personal confidence and style:

  • “When the outside’s really matching the inside, that’s when I feel the most confident.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (13:48–13:59)

• On realizing a childhood dream at the Met Gala:

  • “At the Met, I wore my very first pair of Timbs. It was the craziest clapback of all time.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (16:34–16:46)

• On falling in love:

  • “I was the table. The tables had been turned and I was starstruck and quite literally immediately in love.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (22:28–22:48)

• On returning to Jamaica:

  • “I just felt really overcome with some emotion...like a piece of my ancestral chain had just been connected.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (33:21–34:44)

• On yearning and nostalgia:

  • “I need yearning.”
    – Myha’la Herrold (36:14–36:18)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [05:13] – Returning to Industry for Season 4: feeling like a veteran
• [06:20] – Harper’s new role and increased autonomy
• [08:17] – Approaching finance jargon and acting choices
• [10:28] – The meaning of Harper’s braids
• [12:14] – Custom power suits and working with costuming
• [13:23] – Dressing as self-expression
• [14:50] – Style inspiration from her mother
• [15:54] – Met Gala Timbs “clapback” story
• [21:01] – How Myha’la met her fiancé (fan DM to Zoom call)
• [23:14] – Marissa Abella’s wedding memories
• [26:50] – Carnegie Mellon and shifting from theater to TV
• [28:51] – Musical roots and desire for Broadway
• [30:23] – Tumblr era confessions
• [32:56] – Homecoming to Jamaica
• [35:37] – Favorite shows and nostalgia TV
• [37:05] – Reality TV commentary

Conclusion

This candid conversation with Myha’la Herrold offers deep insight into her creative approach, personal values, and the intentional choices shaping both her career and her performance as Harper on Industry. It’s an engaging look at self-transformation, the power of representation, and the way art, family, and even digital nostalgia contribute to identity. Essential listening for fans of the show, and anyone who believes fashion and storytelling are inseparable.