Major change! Jessica Chastain traded her signature auburn tresses for platinum blonde at the 2023 Met Gala on Monday, May 1.
The Oscar winner, 46, shocked fans when she walked the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in head-to-toe black, which she accessorized with a new hair color. The George & Tammy alum wore a strapless Gucci gown featuring ruffled tiers paired with matching sheer gloves.
She also donned a giant pair of black Gucci sunglasses and a chunky necklace by Gucci High Jewelry in a nod to Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, whose work is the theme of this year’s event and the accompanying exhibit at the museum’s Costume Institute. “Any guesses who’s my inspo for tonight?” Chastain asked via Instagram ahead of the gala, sharing a behind-the-scenes video that showed her getting ready.
Once she arrived on the red carpet, the Zero Dark Thirty actress hinted that her new ‘do isn’t here to stay. “It’s not forever,” Chastain quipped to a reporter. “It’s for Karl.”
Lagerfeld, who died in February 2019 at age 85, was known for wearing all black, usually with dark sunglasses and chunky silver jewelry. He also kept his hair white for much of his life, powdering his tresses with dry shampoo to give it its signature color.
“My hair is not really white; it’s kind of grayish, and I don’t like the color,” the former Fendi designer explained to Harper’s Bazaar in 2012. “So, I make it totally white with Klorane dry shampoo. That is the best thing to do because my hair is always clean.”
Chastain achieved her (temporary) new look with help from hair guru Renato Campora and makeup artist Kristofer Buckle using products by Charlotte Tilbury.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye star, who was born a redhead, has previously said she avoids coloring her hair for roles because it took her a while to learn to accept her natural look. “As a child, I didn’t want to be different — I wanted to look the same as everyone else because I didn’t want to be singled out,” she told Refinery29 in 2017. “I was ridiculed for having red hair; for having freckles.”
When one of her characters requires a different hair shade, Chastain likes to use wigs both so she can avoid harming her natural color and to further lose herself in the role. “If I wanted to dye my hair, I could, but I realized that’s who I am, and my differences [make me] special,” the California native explained. “When I sit in a makeup chair and the hairstylist puts a wig on me, I feel the character collecting. It’s not for vanity’s sake that I use wigs; I see it as a tool to help transform.”
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