The Most Drastic Celebrity Hair Transformations Of 2024

Celebrities aren't just born singers, actors, and entertainers — a lot of them are bonafide style icons. Kim Kardashian has long been known as a trendsetter, pushing the limits of her wardrobe and embracing designer gowns and looks that others may not have initially thought about. Similarly, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, Nicole Kidman, and Drew Barrymore have had fabulous personal aesthetics that influence the public. Of course, there's one thing that's even more important than what a star chooses to wear. Hair is their crowning glory and often becomes somewhat of a trademark. So, when a star gets a total hair makeover, it's no surprise that it's headline news.

The year 2024 has been a great one for hairstylists to experiment on celebrity clientele. From actors chopping their famously long tresses into face-framing bobs to reality stars going from raven-haired locks to bleach blond, stick with us as we take you through some jaw-dropping hair transformations. Just make sure you've got your Pinterest board at the ready because there's some serious "hairspiration" here.

The stunning transformation of Lily Collins has been underway for years, ever since the daughter of musician Phil Collins landed the lead role in the Netflix caper "Emily in Paris." Though she was still a successful actor prior to donning a beret, the popular show allowed her to reach a whole new audience. Collins has always sported dark brown, impeccably shiny, and glossy hair for a long time, as well as heavy bangs. However, the brunette beauty decided to switch things up in June 2024, surprising fans with a short (and very chic) face-framing bob when she attended the premiere of "Maxxxine." It was a brave choice for the star, but who was behind the new 'do? 

Gregory Russell, Collins' hairstylist, happily touted his brilliant work on Instagram, sharing a photograph of Collins sporting the bob worn with a middle part. "New snips for @lilyjcollins," Russell's caption read. The change was even picked up by British Vogue, who quizzed Collins on why she decided to make such a drastic change. "I honestly just wanted to change things up again and surprise myself," Collins told the publication. "It's not necessarily for a role."

Fans have been used to seeing "The Act" star Joey King with long, flowing tresses for years now, and we didn't see that changing any time soon. Seeing King debut a super short above-the-jawline bob was not on our 2024 bingo card, but it should've been. When the star attended the Cannes Film Festival in May, her first few looks of the week showed her blond hair perfectly sculpted in long, mermaid waves. However, that all changed when King opted to undergo a transformation during the film festival, ditching the longer look and debuting a vintage-style 'do for the festival's last (and arguably most important) red carpet.

The simple but pleasingly effective look gave King the appearance of a 1920s up-and-coming young star, especially when paired with a yellow Miu Miu dress and black sheer gloves dripping with diamanté detailing. While this style shift had jaws dropping, King's mermaid waves were back in action two months later when she appeared on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" alongside Rashida Jones. It may have been short-lived, but this turnaround won't be forgotten.

Over the years, there have been so many fashion trends started by the Kardashians that our heads never stop spinning. Whether it's Khloe's catsuit moments or Kourtney's barely-there wedding gown, you can almost guarantee to see similar styles out in stores the next week, with fans ready and waiting to buy them. Even though Kim's style has changed and transformed over the years, more often than not she has stayed true to her trademark long, dark brown tresses. In 2022, she surprised fans when she bleached her hair to a platinum blond shade for her appearance in Marilyn Monroe's famous "Mr. President" dress at the Met Gala. 

Kim eventually returned to her brunette roots, but she wasn't done exploring. In April 2024, Kim's hairstylist Chris Appleton took to Instagram to reveal Kim's icy new hair color, this time with a dark root. "Ice Kimmy," Appleton wrote alongside a photograph of the reality star wearing a black fur jacket. "We wanted to keep a short root and the blonde cool and creamy. I colored it in a couple of sessions to keep the integrity of the hair nice and juicy." Kim wore the new style in loose, slept-in waves when she attended the Met Gala in 2024 for the theme "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." 

Rihanna has always sported different looks. The "Umbrella" hitmaker has come a long way since she was a teenager and is arguably one of the most influential stars out there today. Not only is she a wildly popular musician, but she's also a bonafide businesswoman thanks to her Fenty ventures. Her style is often imitated but never fully replicated, as there can only be one Rihanna. Her clothing choices are talked about often, but in 2024, her hair gained attention, too. The starlet has had many different styles in the past and has never shied away from a dramatic cut. However, in June 2024, she took it one step further. 

When she attended a Fenty Hair launch party in Los Angeles, Rihanna sported her natural curls in a cropped blond style. The gorgeous color perfectly complimented her hazel eyes and razor-sharp cheekbones. The 'do, coupled with an all-red outfit and big jewelry, worked exceptionally well, giving her a retro vibe. Rihanna is never one to stay with one style for too long, though. By October of the same year, Rihanna went back to black hair, which she wore piled high on her head in loose curls for "The City of Genius" event in Shanghai, China. 

Julia Roberts has spanned whole decades as one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. From "Pretty Woman" to "Ocean's Eleven," the actor has captivated audiences. Of course, it goes way beyond the content of the movies and into the realm of style, too. To this day, fans and other celebrities alike still dress as Vivian from "Pretty Woman" for Halloween. Roberts' hair has always been a source of interest as in her early career, she often wore it in big and bold auburn curls, despite being a natural dark blond. In early 2024, Roberts was still rocking long auburn waves with bangs, but that all changed when October rolled around.

Roberts attended a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event with a drastic new haircut. The long bob sat just below her shoulders and the bangs were nowhere to be found. Most importantly, it was a stunning shade of golden blond. This transformation is living proof that Roberts, with her glowing skin, bright eyes, and famous thousand-kilowatt smile can pull off just about any look she's down to try. 

Fans just can't get enough of this actor-turned-talk-show-host. Everything from Drew Barrymore's relatable self-care regimen to her touchy-feely approach with her show guests makes her a firm Hollywood favorite. Longtime followers of the former child star will remember some of her most iconic '90s looks, but Barrymore has matured since then. In more recent years, she has sported long brown tresses in waves that fall below her shoulders, giving her a more wholesome, mature look than she had in her runaway youth. 

But 2024 proved that there's always room for a good throwback! In June, Barrymore was given a makeover from celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, makeup mogul Charlotte Tilbury, and skincare expert Shani Darden. Rather than find something new for Barrymore, the task was to transport her back in time to one particular moment: her '90s "Charlie's Angels" era. Appleton fitted Barrymore with a long blond wig, while Tilbury worked her magic and gave her a 90s-inspired smokey eye. The hair transformation may have only been temporary, but it was enough to leave Barrymore speechless. "Oh my god," she exclaimed as she looked into the mirror in a clip shared to TikTok. "You just put a time machine in me." 

Grammy award-winning sensation H.E.R., real name Gabriella Wilson, has been making money moves ever since she started working in the music industry as a teenager. As well as being incredible at what she does, Wilson also has a unique sense of style that makes her stand out from the crowd. In February 2024, she posted photos on Instagram showing off her long dark hair that reached past her waist. "Always pinching myself being in the presence of greatness ... I got to present @lennykravitz with the Global Impact award at #BMCHonors so grateful for you Lenny!" she captioned the post. 

While her lengthy, dark tresses worked perfectly for the event, it wasn't long before the singer switched it up. In May, she posted another series of photos on Instagram, but there was one major change. The dark hair was gone, and in its place were beautiful blond and caramel-colored braids and curls. While we love both looks, it was great to see Wilson trying something new so easily. The hitmaker has sported several different styles this year alone, including a stunning bouncy, curly 'do that reminded some fans of Kelis. 

There's no doubt that actor Jessica Biel is a glowing beauty. She's starred in some impressive movies over the years, as well as producing a hit show, "The Sinner." Her significant success coupled with the fact that she's Mrs. Justin Timberlake means that Biel often pops up in the style pages. For a long time, we've been used to Biel's flowing brown locks reaching down past her shoulders. At the start of 2024, she attended the Vanity Fair Oscars party wearing a high-neck blue dress and her hair pulled demurely over one shoulder. Imagine our surprise when she revealed her bold new look on Instagram in May. 

In a short reel, Biel sat down in a casual t-shirt as she grabbed two fistfuls of hair and pulled them at either side, before the video cuts to a shot of her with a short bob, parted down the middle. This simple look has proved a favorite among stars this year, and it makes perfect sense. A face-framing bob works wonders for icons like Biel, who are blessed with high cheekbones and beaming smiles. It also helps give a funkier, fresher, and arguably younger aesthetic. 

When it comes to style, it can be easy for celebrities to play it safe and stick to what's trendy or fashionable at the time, but Lana Del Rey has always beat to the rhythm of her own drum. Ever since becoming a household name with the single "Video Games" in 2011, Del Rey has stayed true to her dreamy, retro aesthetic. Her penchant for mixing Old Hollywood glam with '60s and '70s styling has always worked well for her, and her hair has been through some big changes over the course of her career. In early 2024, Del Rey sported near black, long dark hair with heavy bangs, giving off a Priscilla Presley vibe. She was even spotted at the Super Bowl in February with a similar look as she watched the game alongside Taylor Swift. 

However, Del Rey went back to caramel, honey-colored locks by April, when she performed at the Stagecoach Festival with long, blond hair. She switched it up again for the InStyle Imagemaker Awards in October, showing fans a dark-rooted up-do that blended out into a beautiful but subtle ombre. 

Nicole Kidman is one of the most iconic redheads in Hollywood history. The Australian actor has been known for her flowing red locks for decades. Earlier in her career, Kidman swayed toward brighter hues of red, but in more recent years she has also favored blond moments. In fact, Kidman updated her look more than once in 2024. At the beginning of the year when she was filming the movie "Babygirl" in New York, the actor could be seen with golden hair with predominantly orange tones. 

By April, there was a change in gear and Kidman's hair was a gorgeous shade of naturally golden blond. Not content with sticking to just one palette though, Mrs. Keith Urban had her blond locks livened up once more for British GQ's Men of the Year Awards in November. The star wore a stunning full-length red gown, and her hair shade was a white blond with darker roots, giving it a "I woke up like this" vibe that the actor pulls off effortlessly. 

Elle Fanning's stunning career has seen her transform from a child star to a leading lady mainstay in Hollywood. Much like her sister Dakota Fanning, Elle has mainly kept to the same hairstyle over the years, preferring to have long, blond tresses that fall below her shoulders. In March 2024, she surprised us all by getting the chop and joining the throngs of stars re-imagining their look with a short bob. She revealed the change in a photograph carousel on Instagram, which gained almost half-a-million likes. The simple cut was split down the middle at the time, but Fanning has since played around with it a little more. 

At The Hamilton Awards in November, she wore the slightly grown-out bob in loose curls, with a side parting which added a touch of Old Hollywood to the look. Fanning's glowing skin and red lipstick accentuated the overall aesthetic of her outfit, as did the plunging neckline on her black dress.  

Camila Cabello may have been part of a girl group once upon a time, but she isn't afraid to stand out. The "Havana" singer's stunning long, dark hair has been a key part of her image for quite some time, but in February 2024, she decided it was time to have some fun. In true Cabello fashion, she revealed the transition in a since-deleted Instagram post, telling followers, "It's time." This wasn't a simple whim, either. Cabello continued to rock her blond locks for months, including at performances in August. 

The following month, though, Cabello posted another photo to Instagram of herself wearing a black lace dress, and her brunette hair was back in action. As 2024 comes to a close, it seems like Cabello committed to the dark side. The question is, do blonds really have more fun? 

There was a period when Megan Fox all but disappeared from view, falling into Hollywood obscurity as she stepped away from the leading roles that once made her a major box office smash. However, her relationship, engagement, and subsequent pregnancy with Machine Gun Kelly brought Fox back into the limelight — and she entered with a bang. While attending a Grammy's party in February 2024, the actor had long pink hair reaching just past her shoulders, with a dark root. Her hairstylist, Dimitris Giannetos, used Manic Panic products to bring Megan's pastel dreams to life. 

If you thought that bright colors were just a flash in the pan for Megan, think again. It wasn't long before she swapped out baby pink for a gorgeous shade of baby blue. Giannetos took to Instagram to show off his work on Megan's icy hair in April, calling the shade "Blue Jeans." He also gave Megan a blunt bob for the occasion, but she later went on to wear extensions when she attended Coachella.