Valerie Bertinelli Looks Unrecognizable With Blonde Hair
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Since she started as a teen actor in the 1970s, Valerie Bertinelli's made a stunning transformation. In addition to her long acting career, she's also a successful author. Bertinelli's personal life has also attracted attention, especially her tumultuous relationship with Eddie Van Halen. For all her time in the spotlight, Bertinelli's typically sported long, chocolate-brown locks, apart from an experiment with highlights. That all changed during Bertinelli's November 2025 appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show," when she switched things up and went fully blonde.
Barrymore wasn't the only one who was blown away by Bertinelli's new hair color. Fans had a range of opinions, with some gushing about the new look, and others feeling disappointed. A third group was brimming with positivity for both styles. "You're just so pretty no matter how you wear your hair!" one Instagram fan sweetly commented.
Rather than keeping people in suspense, Bertinelli quickly revealed that the look was temporary. "New hair who dis? (it's a wig)," she captioned an Instagram post. The "Hot in Cleveland" actor also shared a behind-the-scenes video from the hair and makeup chair. However, that video only showed hairstylist Chris Appleton curling and spraying Bertinelli's blond strands, so it wasn't immediately clear that it was a wig. Some fans of Bertinelli's natural color were particularly relieved by her admission. "I was so happy this was a prank! Hated the blonde. You're fabulous as you are!!" remarked one poster.
Bertinelli also prefers being a brunette
To further demonstrate the blond strands were a wig, Valerie Bertinelli posted a new picture with bouncy brunette hair. When captioning this photo, Bertinelli dug deep, letting fans know that keeping her natural color was more than just a style choice. "It's always fun to play dress up and fool around with hair and make up, but when I look in the mirror, I want to see ... me," Bertinelli explained on Instagram. The actor went on to explain various ways she tried to change herself over the years to garner approval. For Bertinelli, staying brunette was a meaningful way to stay connected to her child self and acknowledge her journey to be comfortable in her own skin.
This mindset is particularly fitting, since Bertinelli was finishing up her memoir "Getting Naked" ahead of its March 2026 release. According to the book's synopsis, some of the topics include "insecurities that have haunted her for decades: shame and anxiety about her body, and the false belief that her value depended on perfection," Sadly, Bertinelli's experienced online bullying in recent years, like when she was trolled about her weight in 2021.
Fortunately, Bertinelli's been equally candid about the ways she's been working to overcome these difficulties. She's noted that her friendship with Drew Barrymore and their work relationship her catalyzed her to write "Getting Naked." In addition, Bertinelli's Instagram account is filled with stunning no-makeup moments that showcase self-confidence and body positivity.