Mother Is Mothering: Jennifer Coolidge Debuts Red Hair Transformation

There are celebrity hair colour switch-ups, and then there are celebrity hair moments that stop us in our tracks (or scrolls). Jennifer Coolidge has tipped close to Nicole Kidman’s jellyfish cut turn with her recent switch from blonde to red.

Jennifer Coolidge has always been the true star of Legally Blonde, known for her Brigitte Bardot blonde locks. So, it’s not wonder we were floored when Coolidge surprised us turning up as a redhead on the cover of W Magazine’s Director’s Issue.

Recently, young guns like Gisele Bündchen, Tessa Thompson, and Natalia Dyer have jumped on the red, copper, orange and russet hair train. But mother Coolidge has served us all a lesson in making the most of a copper moment. Channelling Wonder Woman in a custom plush bow emblazoned dress by BadBinch TonTon designer Terrence Zhou and currently trending opera gloves, Coolidge served Poison Ivy, meets Miss Piggy, and meets Za Za Gabor for her scarlet transformation Everything Everywhere All At Once hair stylist Anissa Salazar crafted Coolidge’s Poison Ivy hair look, while MUA Francesca Tolot created her barbie-core makeup look, heavy on pastel pink lipgloss and false lashes.

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schenert, the duo behind the multiverse epic Everything Everywhere All at Once directed the shoot. The pair drew inspiration from old-school B films like Godzilla, Power Rangers and a Giant Robo. All action movies known for their notably stilted special effects. Kwan said Coolidge was a no-brainer as the star of the shoot: “Of all of the people having a moment right now; she felt like someone exciting to be on the cover of a magazine.”

Related: This Jennifer Coolidge Drag Impersonator Is the Real Star of Milan Fashion Week

Why Red Hair Is Going Nowhere

Coolidge’s beauty look speaks to the enduring appeal of red hair; it’s sexy, powerful, and attention-grabbing. It’s also rare, with only 1 to 2 per cent of the population born with red hair and, therefore, notably artificial just like the characters Coolidge is best known for playing.

Unlike layered balayage, honey hair, raven, and brunette tresses, fire engine red and electric coppers are noticeably fake. Is this all part of the rejection of the no-makeup makeup beauty culture? Commitment to artifice? 

Is red part of a move in beauty to the cartoonish and extreme as flagged daily by culture vulture titles like Dazed, who have plugged the rise of cartoonishly obvious and messy beauty looks? Maybe. One thing is for sure, as the undisputed thought leader, beauty icon and fashion pioneer of 2023, Coolidge’s endorsement shows the red hair trend is going nowhere. 

See Jennifer Coolidge’s hair transformation below.