Does Hollywood hate blonde hair now?

If we were on a ‘Hollywood hair colour’ quiz show (a pipe dream, but just go with it), and we had to name the most obvious blonde A-lister, we’d be spitting out "Margot Robbie" before the quizmaster had even finished the question.

Because when we think ‘blonde’, we instantly think Robbie. She’s basically become the queen of the colour, taking on an unofficial (but important) role as the face of the exact creamy-but-bright vanilla shade colourists are begged for worldwide. But sorry to shatter the illusion – we’d actually be dead wrong now (and devastatingly receive zero points). Robbie is... *deep breath* not even a blonde at all anymore. And you wouldn’t be rewarded if you screamed out “Hailey Bieber” or “Sydney Sweeney”, either. So when the hell did this all happen?!

We’re breaking down Hollywood’s newfound aversion to blonde, from the reasons behind it to how you can follow suit…

Why are Hollywood's blondes going hazelnut brunette?

Celebrities love a bold hair transformation, and a full-fledged, dramatic blonde-to-brunette switch is one of the biggest wavemakers. And yet a select few of Hollywood’s biggest beauty tastemakers have gone the gradual route.

They’ve almost done it so seamlessly and slowly that we haven’t even realised they’re, like, fully brunette. They basically quiet quit their roles as blondes. Crafty!

So what’s the reason? Could it be a ‘blonde break’ across the board to allow the hair to recouperate before hitting it with more bleach? Perhaps. But even looking at the difference between these celebs with bright blonde, mid-toned bronde, and (now) light brunette hair, dare we say they all look especially stunning with their most recent, deeper colour?

Is our natural, darker colour depth the most flattering on us after all?! Who knew? Besides genetics, of course. We usually recoil from regrowth, but it may be trying to tell us something important.

And look, we don’t like to play the ‘colour clairvoyant’ card (okay, fine, we love it sick), but our 2023 hair trend predictions did lead you in this exact darker-but-with-dimension direction. “We’re loving warmer, richer, natural looking colour,” Jason Fassbender, Creative Director of  Willomina Salon & Goldwell Lead Stylist told us. “Think fine natural highlights and super soft blended balayage to mimic the summer sun's natural effect on hair.” Perhaps Robbie read that...

How to get Hollywood's hazelnut brunette look

You may already be mentally allocating your foiling fees toward a fabulous vacation and ordering a $5 box dye, but hold up a second – you’re still going to want to head to the salon to get this look right. Robbie, Sweeney, and Bieber’s melted brunette shades are all still full of life – not flat!

Here’s the good news, though – the years (and cash) you’ve given to your blonde have already set you up for success. The dimension is already there, it just needs to be cloaked carefully (AKA sorry, but not by you in your bathroom).

The goal is basically mid-toned but rich brunette with a golden butter gloss over the top (and a few of your previous highlights/your brighter ends subtly peeking through). Add this article to favourites now so you know exactly what to tell (and show) your hairdresser.

What does this mean for blonde hair?

Look, we won't dance around it: it's not good news. A bright blonde moment has long been deemed the ultimate hair look (and if you love yours, you have to do what's right for you), but trend wise, our forecast is looking darker.

It's no secret that Hollywood trends trickle down, soon informing every cut and colour requested in-salon, and now that we've realised every banner blonde in town has left lighter locks in their rearview, we feel compelled to join them on their colour journey.

There really are no downsides, either; you might have a brief stint of wondering why your features suddenly look 'stronger' (blonde is a 'blender'), but once the adjustment period is over, it'll mean less bleach-centric damage, less purple shampoo-covered showers, less constant upkeep, and most importantly, more looking like Margot Robbie. We rest our case.

Main image credit: @patidubroff

Want to go even darker? 'Candlelit brunette' awaits...