Before & After Photos Of Celebs Who Rocked Red Locks

Ever consider trying red hair on for size? Plenty of stars have taken the plunge at one point or another, and the results have been all over the map. While trading in your usual hair hue for red may seem like an exciting change, it isn't for everyone. Your natural coloring can have a major effect on whether or not red hair actually looks good on you. For some, red looks like it could be growing straight out of your head, while the shade gives others Ronald McDonald vibes. This risk makes going crimson feel uncertain. Yet, some stars have proven that the risk can definitely be worth taking.

What some folks don't realize when considering a ginger era is that red hair comes in many different shades and styles. From light strawberry blonde to bold fire engine red, you can tailor your red hair to you, and different shades can create very different looks. Some stars have subtly convinced that red is their natural color, while others have embraced it as a bold style statement. Looking at before and after photos of some celebs who have been redheads proves that there are so many ways to embrace the ginger life and look amazing doing it.

Many fans were first introduced to Riley Keough as the titular character in "Daisy Jones & the Six." As such, the long red mane with blunt bangs à la Florence Welch is what many folks associate with the star's signature style. In reality, in 2019, she shared an old pic on Instagram, showing her with long, light brown hair, which she captioned, "The only existing picture of my natural hair color." While it may not be natural, it's easy to argue that bold, rich red is the best hair color for Keogh. 

"Tell Me Lies" star Grace Van Patten looks stunning with her usual warm, dimensional blonde hair. Yet, the actor has actually changed her hair color a lot, and red was among the shades she's tried. Believe it or not, she pulled this shade off particularly well. When going red, many people consider whether or not the shade will look natural on them. Van Patten didn't seem particularly concerned with this, opting for a light, orange-red shade, leaving her eyebrows dark and contrasting for a bold effect.

In March 2023, Chrissy Teigen celebrated the birth of her baby in a somewhat unorthodox way: a hair transformation. "Breaking news: woman gets new hair color !!!!!!!!!" Teigen jokingly captioned a video on Instagram showing off freshly auburn locks. The comment section quickly filled up with fans praising her glow-up, including her hubby John Legend, who called the look "gorgeous." We couldn't agree more; this warm shade looked uniquely stunning on the model. In fact, this may have been one of the best shades the star has rocked over the years.

From her "Mean Girls" character Regina George to playing Allie in "The Notebook," Rachel McAdams knows how to totally transform into different characters. This often includes changes in hair. The star's mane has been super light, extra dark, and everything in between. That "in between" includes her 2013 ginger moment. The light and bright red shade really drew focus to McAdams' green eyes. Unlike most people who dip their toes into life as a redhead, McAdams opted for a particularly light shade of the color. This choice really brightened up her look.

Most of us are used to seeing Emma Stone rocking ginger locks. We're so used to it, in fact, that many people are surprised to discover that Stone is actually a natural blonde. Evidently, though, the star's coloring works perfectly with red. Not only does the hue make her features pop, but it also looks like she was born with the shade. How well red hair works with the rest of Stone's appearance surely has a lot to do with why she returns to the shade time and time again.

Drew Barrymore has tried quite a few hair colors on for size over the course of her career. Amidst those different shades of mane were a few separate attempts at going red. In 2000, Barrymore opted for a light yet warm red color. In terms of lightness and depth, this shade was similar to the honey blonde she usually prefers. Yet, the added warm tone complemented her coloring. Years later, the star tried a much darker, cooler shade of red, which didn't suit her nearly as much as her first attempt.

Hayden Panettiere was a total it-girl in the early aughts, and a voluminous blonde blowout was part of her signature style. In 2010, she made a daring change, trading in blonde for a deep, dark red tone. Panettiere's complexion might have led folks to doubt that red would be her color. Yet, her choice to go in such a bold, saturated direction with the hue really added depth to her look and provided contrast and impact that just isn't there when she's blonde.

Is there anything Zendaya can't pull off? If there is, it doesn't seem like she's found it yet — save for a few outfits that probably should have landed her on some worst-dressed lists over the years. In 2019, Zendaya put her ability to look good in anything to the test ahead of the premiere of "Spider-Man: Far From Home." The star channeled the "Spiderman" character Mary Jane's signature red hair, dyeing her own to be a deep, bright red. While a surprising hue for the star, this look definitely worked for her.

Zendaya wasn't the only superstar to go red in honor of M.J. Kirsten Dunst also took on the "Spiderman" leading lady and tried on her rosy locks. Over the years, super light blonde may be Dunst's go-to hair color, but that doesn't mean it's the only one that works for her. Dunst has a light complexion that can sometimes look washed out by extra light hair. Her redhead era felt soft and delicate, which perfectly complemented her features and allowed her to stand out.

In March 2025, Megan Thee Stallion was clearly ready to be Megan Thee Ginger, opting for a warm, almost auburn mane. The surprising hair color choice really brightened up the star's look and worked beautifully with her natural coloring.  That year, she styled her hair flawlessly at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party with a skimpy ensemble in a bright olive green shade. The green and orange-red made for the perfect combination that really spoke to the star's complexion and made her look like someone out of a fairytale.