Jennifer Lawrence revealed in a Vogue interview that she initially opposed Emma Stone shaving her head for the upcoming film Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. The movie, a reinterpretation of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, features Stone as a pharmaceutical CEO kidnapped by two conspiracy theorists, played by Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis, who believe she is an alien threatening Earth.
Lawrence’s Hesitation Over Stone’s Bold Makeover
Lawrence’s reluctance stemmed from her past experience watching Stone cut her hair short for her role as tennis legend Billie Jean King in Battle of the Sexes.
“I really didn’t want her to shave her head,”
Lawrence said in reference to Stone.
“I had already lived through the Billie Jean King haircut.”
Stone’s Emotional Head-Shaving Scene for Bugonia
For Bugonia, Stone drew inspiration from Natalie Portman’s head-shaving moment in V for Vendetta and shaved her hair off on camera during a scene filmed inside a moving Range Rover. The moment was deeply emotional for Stone, who broke down in tears in her trailer before the shoot, as it triggered memories of her mother Krista’s battle with breast cancer. Stone reflected on the contrast, saying,
“She actually did something brave. I’m just shaving my head.”
Emma Stone Embraces Her New Look and Career Challenges
Despite initial fears, Stone came to love her shaved head.
“No better feeling in the world. The first shower when you’ve shaved your head? Oh my God, it’s amazing,”
she said. Lawrence later admitted that Stone’s appearance was stunning, confessing to Vogue,
“Honestly, she looked beautiful. She pulled it off.”
Even Stone’s mother expressed admiration by telling her,
“I’m so jealous. I want to shave my head again.”
Stone also spoke about embracing challenges within her acting career, sharing,
“The more challenging it gets, the more I like it. If you’re not growing or pushing yourself to different places—and I feel it’s the same for most people in almost any job—you get stagnant.”
Recent Accolades and Film Premiere
Stone recently won her second Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Poor Things, another collaboration with director Lanthimos. Lawrence was present at the Oscars and shared a touching moment with Stone when Michelle Yeoh passed the award to Lawrence, who then handed it to her friend. Lawrence recalled,
“In true Emily form, as soon as we got offstage and ran into the bathroom to scream and cry, I whispered, ‘Two-time best-actress winner,’ and she replied, ‘I feel like that’s bad, though.’”
Upcoming Release and Festival Participation
Bugonia is slated to have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, competing for awards before its theatrical release on October 24 through Focus Features. This intense and thought-provoking film is expected to showcase Emma Stone’s striking transformation and powerful performance, marking another bold step in her acting journey.
