Where Are Mary-Ashanti and Djennane From What's in the Box? Now? Details explored

Where are Mary-Ashanti and Djennane from What’s in the Box? now? The pair, who competed together on Netflix’s trivia-based game show hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, left the competition early but drew attention for their long-standing friendship and professional backgrounds.

Since their appearance on What’s in the Box?, both women have continued along established career paths in the beauty industry, maintaining the personal and professional lives they built long before stepping onto the Netflix stage.

What’s in the Box? featured eight pairs of contestants competing across multiple rounds for prizes ranging from NFL season tickets and luxury electric vehicles to an all-expenses-paid trip to Finland and a dining experience with chef David Chang.

Mary-Ashanti Harrison and Djennane Jean-Francois entered What’s in the Box? not as casual acquaintances, but as best friends who describe themselves as chosen family.

What’s in the Box? and Mary-Ashanti and Djennane’s bond

Mary-Ashanti and Djennane first met around 2013 while teaching a methods class as beauty educators for aspiring hair and makeup artists. According to Mary-Ashanti’s account, they were “hot cosmetology teachers” who did not expect the professional overlap to become a permanent friendship.

Djennane later explained that what first caught her attention was Mary-Ashanti’s floral pants, recalling the moment with the line, “I need those pants, so hey, be my friend.”

That initial interaction developed into what both women describe as a deep platonic bond rooted in mutual respect and care. Over time, they began referring to each other as “spiritual sisters,” a phrase they used to explain why they chose to compete together on What’s in the Box?.

Their run on the show ended after a prize challenge eliminated them from contention, but their relationship extended far beyond their time on Netflix.

Since appearing on What’s in the Box?, Mary-Ashanti Harrison has continued expanding her career as a beauty entrepreneur.

Raised in a working-class household by Jamaican immigrant parents, Mary-Ashanti has frequently spoken about learning the value of perseverance at a young age. She entered the beauty industry at 18 while raising a newborn, a decision that shaped the trajectory of her professional life.

Mary-Ashanti went on to establish Made Up On The Go, a luxury hair, makeup, and wardrobe service designed to work with clients of varied tones, textures, and backgrounds.

Based in Philadelphia, her work has extended across weddings, photoshoots, commercial campaigns, fashion weeks, and editorial projects.

Her client list has included Fox Sports x MLB, Gucci, Levi’s, L’Oreal, Kiss New York, Paris Hilton, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Vogue, Wella, and the World Poker Tour.

In addition to Made Up On The Go, Mary-Ashanti later launched ATE11 Attire, a clothing brand built around the concept of “fashion with intention.” The line draws inspiration from her personal journey through adversity and professional growth.

Alongside her fashion and beauty ventures, she has also been working toward earning a real estate license, a step tied to completing a goal her father began decades earlier.

While Mary-Ashanti maintains a visible professional presence, she keeps her personal life largely private.

Publicly available information indicates she is family-oriented and committed to fitness, but she has avoided sharing daily personal details since her appearance on What’s in the Box?.

Djennane Jean-Francois has likewise remained rooted in the beauty industry since competing on What’s in the Box?.

A girl from Edison, New Jersey, she studied at Berkeley College, then stayed put - living and working right where she grew up. Djennane started out helping hair and makeup pros, then got her license as a hairstylist by 2020.

She advanced to a Level 2 Hair Stylist in April 2022 and currently works as a cut, color, and styling specialist at Bloom Salon on Maple Avenue in Morristown, New Jersey.

Djennane has been affiliated with the salon for more than a decade, reflecting a stable career built well before her appearance on What’s in the Box?.

Like Mary-Ashanti, Djennane maintains clear boundaries between her public and private lives. Available information indicates she is close to her parents and married, but she has chosen not to place those relationships in the public spotlight following the Netflix series.

Although What’s in the Box? provided Mary-Ashanti and Djennane with national exposure, neither has shifted away from their existing professional identities since leaving the show.

Their time on What’s in the Box? served as a brief intersection between their long friendship and a television competition, rather than a turning point that redirected their careers.

Stay tuned for more updates.