On July 16, the trailer for Julia Roberts’s latest film, After the Hunt, was unveiled, showcasing the actress with her shortest and blondest haircut in many years. Set to release in October, the movie features Roberts playing college professor Alma Olsson, marking a notable change in her appearance as she embraces the look fully by cutting and coloring her hair specifically for the role.
Unlike other actors who often rely on wigs for dramatic hair changes, Roberts opted to transform her own hair. The blonde bob with loose waves and a side part signals a fresh visual identity for the Oscar-winning actress, amplifying her presence alongside co-stars Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield in this psychological thriller. The story centers on a complex conflict involving a star student accusing a professor, while Roberts’s character grapples with her personal secret.
The Significance of Julia Roberts’s Hair Transformation for After the Hunt
Julia Roberts has long been recognized for her iconic hairstyles, ranging from her trademark curls as a redhead to various shades of brunette and blonde. For this role, her hair is notably shorter and brighter, emphasizing a shift that demands attention. Reports from People confirm that this is not a temporary wig but a genuine commitment to the character’s look, underlining Roberts’s dedication to authenticity in her performances.
This fresh style fits the film’s tense and introspective mood, with Alma Olsson portrayed as a refined but troubled professor. Roberts’s hair both visually and symbolically reflects her character’s vulnerability and complexity as she navigates difficult accusations and internal struggles throughout the story.
Roberts Reflects on Personal Appearance and Life Balance
In a 2024 interview with British Vogue, Julia Roberts credited her youthful appearance to “good genes” and a “fulfilling” life. She highlighted the importance of her 23-year marriage to Danny Moder and their three children—twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, 20, and Henry, 17—in providing emotional stability.
“I do believe in the love of a good man. I believe that my husband loves me and cares for me in a way that makes me feel deeply, deeply happy. And anytime you see someone who’s happy, it doesn’t matter how old they are,”
Roberts said.
Regarding hair changes, she shared,
I think there’s something in me that’s always [let] people feel they’re comfortable, or they see something familiar. If someone sees me in a grocery store and they say, ‘Why did you cut your hair like that?’ it’s not because they’re trying to be rude. It’s because they feel they know me, that I sit behind them in church every Sunday.
—Julia Roberts, Actress
She added,
It’s that sense of feeling that you understand someone that you don’t know,
continuing with,
I guess looking relatively like myself in most parts takes me out of the character-actor lane. But I never feel like I’m playing myself.
—Julia Roberts, Actress
Balancing motherhood and career over the last two decades has been important to Roberts, who expressed to British Vogue the value of her children witnessing her professional passion:
There’s also something to my kids seeing that my creative life is meaningful to me,
explaining further,
I want them to understand that. Going outside of the house and being creative is really important and vital. And it doesn’t take away from my love of home. It’s another level of my life.
—Julia Roberts, Actress
Insights from Julia Roberts’s Hairstylist and Industry Observers
Julia Roberts’s hair has been described as emblematic in the entertainment industry, with vibrant shifts supporting her varied roles. Serge Normant, her long-time hairstylist, praised her adaptability and widespread appeal, telling Refinery29,
There’s no doubt that Julia’s hair is iconic.
—Serge Normant, Hairstylist
Normant recalled the early ‘90s when Roberts’s curly red hair from Pretty Woman became a defining look, inspiring numerous requests from other clients. He said,
After her breakout role in Pretty Woman in the early ‘90s, everyone wanted that curly, wavy red hair—it was emblematic of the decade,
and continued,
So, of course, when I started working with her regularly, my other clients asked me to give them ‘Julia Roberts hair.’ She’s been a brunette, a redhead, a blonde, and has had long hair and short cuts—she’s not afraid to experiment. Her hairstyle has to be something that’s easy and effortless, not contrived.
—Serge Normant, Hairstylist
Regarding the emotional connection her hair evokes, Normant said,
The magic of Julia’s hair is that people catch a feeling from it. They look at a picture of her—whether it’s bright blonde and sleek or messy and held up with a claw clip—and there’s something that people identify with. It’s her glow, and it’s infectious. You might love her blonde and think that the color is amazing, but then the next day she could be back to red and you forget about the blonde. She’s magical that way.
—Serge Normant, Hairstylist
Julia Roberts’s Evolving Symbolism Through Hair in Hollywood
Julia Roberts’s readiness to adopt new hairstyles mirrors her evolving career and personal journey. The choice to debut her shortest blonde haircut in decades for After the Hunt reflects both a commitment to her craft and a symbolic step into a new dramatic territory. This fresh look situates Roberts not just as a Hollywood icon but as a dedicated actor willing to reinvent her image to serve the story effectively.
As the film prepares for its October release, audiences can anticipate a powerful performance complemented by a bold visual transformation that enhances the psychological depth of the narrative. Julia Roberts’s short blonde hair for this thriller sets a tone of reinvention and intensity that aligns with the hopes for this new chapter in her distinguished career.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Julia Roberts religion?
A. Her dad followed the Baptist faith, while her mom practiced Catholicism. Roberts was brought up in the Catholic tradition. She has an older brother named Eric Roberts, born in 1956, and they didn’t speak for several years until 2004. She also has an older sister named Lisa Roberts Gillan.
