The Stunning Hair Transformation Of Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart's hair journey is almost as diverse as her impressive acting career. Over the years, Stewart has experimented with a multitude of styles, colors, and cuts, reinventing her look numerous times. Her longtime hairstylist Adir Abergel perfectly encapsulated Stewart's hair evolution when he told Vogue in 2021, "Throughout the years, we have done so much. From her iconic 'Twilight' days of long, dark, undone hair, to shaving her hair and bleaching her out, to tipping the ends of her hair in red dye to match a Chanel nail color for the Met Ball, to most recently coloring her hair into a coppery butterscotch that was a nod to pin-up girls from the early '40s and '50s."
However, what sets Stewart's hair and style transformation apart is her unapologetic authenticity — the star has never been one to shy away from sharing her thoughts, opinions, and style with the world. And when it comes to hair, this means that the actor isn't afraid of embracing her edginess, messiness, and masculinity, which make her who she is just as much as everything else does.
The early 2000s: Kristen Stewart rocks natural, dirty-blond locks
In the early 2000s, Kristen Stewart entered the entertainment industry with dirty-blond locks. Many might be surprised to learn that the actor actually has natural blond hair! In 2002, the tween gained recognition for her portrayal of Sarah Altman in David Fincher's thriller "Panic Room." For Vanity Fair, Jodie Foster — who played her mother in the film — revealed that she was very impressed by Stewart's talent. "Kristen was incredibly mature in some ways, and grounded and very calm under pressure," the "Silence of the Lambs" star said. "She was an incredible listener, but then she'd say something so child-like that you'd be like, that's right — she's only 11."
Rocking a chin-length layered bob, Stewart's youthful and carefree spirit perfectly matched her hairstyle. At the time, young Stewart was embracing a tomboy style, and her bob haircut was anything but preppy — instead, she opted for subtle layers she casually kept behind her ears. The young star always wanted to act, and with her talent, she certainly had a bright future ahead of her. "When I made my first film, 'The Safety of Objects,' I was like, 'This is it. This is the feeling.' I've been chasing that ever since," Stewart admitted to W Magazine in 2022. "It's that sense of creating something together with others. It was exciting to see how many versions of myself I could find."
2003-2004: The young teen goes for a darker shade
As the mid-aughts approached, Kristen Stewart slowly began to find her way in Hollywood — and this was also marked by a change from her natural blond locks to a darker shade. The young actor continued to land roles in notable movies like "Cold Creek Manor" and "Catch That Kid," but her big break hadn't happened just yet.
Opting for a rich chocolate brown, Stewart's new hair color perfectly complemented her features and added a new dimension to her look. Surprisingly, the brown shade appeared so natural that many surely assumed it was her original hair color — especially as she was still a teen when she had it dyed. Even though she was still just entering the scene, Stewart already hinted at the fact that she could rock a variety of hairstyles, something that she'd go on to confirm later in her career.
2005-2007: Kristen Stewart embraces blond again
In 2005, Kristen Stewart embraced her blond roots once again as she continued making waves in Hollywood. Still in her teens, Stewart opted for blended highlights with slightly darker roots. With her blond locks, the actor sported a layered haircut with a long, side-swept fringe that perfectly framed her face. Whether styled with a middle or side part, her hair always gave us an effortless yet stunning look.
Stewart's hair became a defining feature of her look during this time, and perfectly suited her role as teenager Lucy Hardwicke in the 2007 movie "In the Land of Women." Every now and then, the young actor would elevate her blond locks with a fun updo for red-carpet events, showcasing that she was willing to explore different styles — not only with her fashion but with her hair, too. And while she was already a silver-screen success story, Stewart's big break — the one that would catapult her into a global spotlight — was right around the corner.
2008: The actor is in her Bella Swan hair era
Kristen Stewart entered what would become known as her Bella Swan era in 2008 as she starred in the wildly popular "Twilight" series. Portraying the main character, Bella Swan, Stewart's performance catapulted her to international notoriety. The series, based on Stephenie Meyer's novels, became a major success story with a total of five installments, all of which featured Stewart as the lead. When asked by E! News how "The Twilight Saga" changed her in 2014, Stewart said, "On an exceptionally obvious note, it's opened a lot of doors, but I've become who I am because of that. It was five years of my life."
Stewart's hair became synonymous with Bella's iconic look: long, layered brown locks that exuded effortless charm. Her hair captured Bella's laid-back, nonchalant vibe, often appearing as if she had casually tousled it with her hands. Despite its seemingly relaxed style, Stewart's hair always looked impeccable. Occasionally, the star played around with adding some red undertones to her brunette locks, adding more dimension and fun to her overall look.
2009-2010: Kristen Stewart goes for a rockstar mullet
Kristen Stewart underwent a dramatic hair change for her role as Joan Jett in the biographical film "The Runaways," which premiered in 2010. Portraying the rockstar required Stewart to adopt a Joan Jett-esque '70s mullet, a departure from her previous looks. The bold hairstyle change was perfectly in line with Jett's iconic rocker aesthetic and added authenticity to Stewart's portrayal of the legendary musician. Embracing the role, Stewart revealed that she felt a deep connection to Jett, so much so that she decided to cut her hair for the role instead of wearing a wig.
However, the actor was still playing Bella Swan in "The Twilight Saga," and for that role, she did need a wig. "It was fine. I've worn wigs before ... I just felt such a tactile thing with Joan [that I cut my hair for the role]," she admitted to MTV News at "The Runaways" premiere. "She holds all of her energy in her hands. I can be Bella without my hair, but I couldn't play Joan without." The bold move to drastically change her hair for a role highlighted Stewart's dedication to her career, as well as her willingness to entirely immerse herself in her characters. And yes, she proved that she could channel Jett's rebellious spirit and rockstar persona while simultaneously showcasing all of Bella Swan's vulnerability.
2011-2013: The actor embraces long hair
Kristen Stewart embraced her long brown locks as she bid farewell to her iconic role as Bella Swan with the premiere of its final installment, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2," in 2012. "Most projects I've been a part of were tiny. For 'Twilight,' we had four years to f–king obsess — I mean solely and completely obsess — over this one project and be so indulgent," Stewart told Elle that year. "So the relief that comes with it is even more palpable. [Twilight] is something I hold so close, I can't even tell you. Four years ... that's high school, you know?"
As she continued her journey in the entertainment industry, Stewart kept her long hair, usually styling it in her signature messy and nonchalant hairstyles such as updos and side braids. The star's hair complemented her laid-back and cool persona. In a 2014 interview with The Cut, Stewart revealed her low-maintenance approach to haircare, stating, "I don't do much with my hair. When I'm working, I treat it so often. There's heat or color on it. When I'm not working, I just like to let it be healthy. I don't wash it every day. I like to switch up my shampoo." There's no denying that this approach allowed Stewart to maintain healthy and natural-looking hair while rocking long locks. The star's carefree attitude toward hairstyling perfectly reflected her personality and added to her effortlessly chic appeal. During this period, Stewart's hairstyles were characterized by their simplicity and ease, reflecting her preference for authenticity. If it wasn't clear before then, now it was — Kristen Stewart was becoming a major fashion icon and beauty trendsetter.
2014-2015: Kristen Stewart goes for a short bob haircut
In 2014, Kristen Stewart made an unexpected statement at the Met Gala with a stunning copper hair color and a fun bob haircut. The event's theme, "Charles James: Beyond Fashion," inspired Stewart to experiment with her look, and she styled her hair with curls pulled to one side, accentuated by a deep side part.
By 2015, Stewart had fully embraced her shorter hair and shared her thoughts on the experience with Marie Claire by saying, "I cut my hair off when I turned 23. The effect was astounding. My hair was such a crutch. I looked quote-unquote 'sexy' no matter what. I could hide behind it. As soon as I didn't have all that hair, I had to let my face hang out. I felt more confident than I had in a really long time. And it felt really good." The decision to go shorter not only transformed Stewart's appearance but also empowered her to embrace her natural beauty and confidence — and with that, she surely inspired many out there to give shorter hair a chance, too.
2016-2017: The star embraces platinum blond
Kristen Stewart continued to embrace the versatility of short hair by taking her look to the next level with a bold platinum-blond color. While still exploring everything that short hair had to offer, the star decided to go over to the blond side — and we have to admit that there doesn't seem to be a hairstyle or color the actor can't pull off. By now, Stewart had starred in both indie movies and big blockbusters, allowing herself to go for roles that excited her. "I just did like five movies over a two-year period, and I think it's a very good decision for me right now to stop acting in movies for just a moment, and I've never really done that; I've never changed my appearance," she told People in 2016 (via E! News).
In 2017, Kristen Stewart made an even more dramatic hair transformation by shaving her hair into a buzzcut for her role in the movie "Underwater." During an appearance on "Today", the actor revealed that she decided to part with her long locks to make her life easier while shooting the film. Stewart explained, "I'm doing a movie in a couple of weeks called 'Underwater,' and I play a mechanical engineer who is working on an oil rig that's on the bottom of the ocean floor. So for me, it was like, 'It's practical. I mean, I'm not going to be able to have touch-ups once I put the helmet on, I must shave my head!'" She further expressed her excitement about the transformation, stating that she had wanted to explore what short hair has to offer for a very "long time."
2018-2020: Kristen Stewart has fun with short, shaggy hair
Towards the end of the 2010s, Kristen Stewart continued to experiment with her short hair, opting for a playful and shaggy look. During this period, she even rocked frosted tips — a subtle nod to the '90s and early aughts. The lighter blond highlights helped add extra definition to her short shag haircut.
Stewart's longtime hairstylist Adir Abergel has been behind the star's hair since she was 15 years old. Speaking to Vogue about working with Stewart, Abergel said, "It's a total collaboration. Kristen and I will throw out a lot of references when we are working on a look. I am an avid researcher and image collector. My favorite thing in the entire world is collaboration." Stewart's carefree nature surely makes working on her hair easier, and the fact that the actor is willing to try out new and fun things results in bold — and often androgynous — hairstyles like this one. "Kristen is low maintenance with her day-to-day off-duty hair," Abergel adds. "It's either in a ponytail or just textural and undone."
2021-2022: The actor rocks a blond lob
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kristen Stewart continued to showcase her evolution — this time with a chic blond lob, a hairstyle that's perfect for that in-between length. Her hairstylist Adir Abergel revealed to Vogue in late 2021, "Kristen is one of my greatest muses." Explaining the inspiration behind Stewart's hair at the time, Abergel said, "For her more recent looks, we looked at lots of references ... we looked at 1990s Drew Barrymore, and Natasha Kaminsky from the film 'Paris, Texas,' as well as early Peter Lindberg photographs for that textured hair look. And for the Met Gala, we looked at early '40s and '50s pin-up girls."
The blond lob added the perfect amount of freshness to the star's look, all while complementing her ongoing style transformation. It also allowed the actor to explore a modern pin-up girl aesthetic that we can't imagine her doing with her brown shag haircut. In recent years, Stewart's hair has always made a statement, but the chic and timeless messy blond lob might just be one of our favorites. 2021 marked a major year for Stewart's career, as she portrayed Princess Diana in "Spencer," a role that earned her a best actress nomination at the 2022 Academy Awards.
2023: Kristen Stewart goes back to darker locks — and her signature mullet
In 2023, Kristen Stewart returned to a look she knew suited her — darker locks and her signature messy mullet, this time with an even more androgynous edge. The actor has been known for blurring the lines between traditionally feminine and masculine beauty and fashion standards, and while some might play around with styles for the shock value, Stewart's choices have always reflected her commitment to authenticity.
Adir Abergel explained to Covetour, "For me, hair is not about homogenizing everyone and doing the same style on everyone, but bringing out individuality. So if I'm doing Kristen Stewart, she's going to be a little bit more punk. I'm definitely going to leave a rougher texture in her hair; it's going to be deconstructed." With her edgy mullet and dark locks, Stewart continued to push her own boundaries as well as those of Hollywood — all while inspiring others to embrace their individuality and authenticity, no matter what that might look like.
2024-Present: Kristen Stewart embraces bangs
Kristen Stewart continued to experiment with her hair in 2024 — this time embracing bangs. While the star has rocked a variety of bang styles before, this version took on the more traditional right-across-the-forehead look. But don't expect sleek and perfectly styled bangs from Stewart. Instead, she's giving us raw and effortless, with bangs that are chunky and choppy.
"I would say that Kristen is fearless when it comes to self-expression. She is a true individual, she also has an incredible knowledge of references," hairstylist Adir Abergel told Vogue. The actor's latest hair transformation perfectly embodies her unapologetic approach to personal style as she continues to express herself through beauty and fashion in a manner that she finds true to herself. And with her rebellious spirit, Stewart proves that beauty lies in embracing your unique self-expression. After all, if you love something, who cares about what others might think?