Hollywood hair file: the most iconic movie hairstyles through the ages

Like costumes, hairstyling plays a vital role in filmmaking, not just heavily influencing how a film looks, but also how it tells its story.

Hairstyles can help set the film firmly in a specific era, say something about the character's personality or psychological state, or they can serve a purely aesthetic purpose, in line with the rest of the film.

We've charted our favourite hairdos from films, including avant-garde looks and era-defining cuts, to easy everyday styles that still influence hair trends to this day.

The best movie hairstyles ever

Princess Leia's double buns

It's impossible now to see space buns without thinking of Princess Leia. Or more accurately, without thinking about Carrie Fisher's portrayal of Princess Leia in the Star Wars film franchise.

Director George Lucas told Time magazine in 2002 that the style was based on Pancho Villa-era Mexican revolutionaries to reflect Fisher's character, an unconventional princess. "George didn't want a damsel in distress, didn't want your stereotypical princess - he wanted a fighter," Fisher told BBC in 1977. "He wanted someone who was independent."

Audrey Tautou's chic bob in Amélie

Amélie's micro bob and cropped fringe were the perfect match for the quirky title character of the 2001 film, which followed a shy waitress seeking a more meaningful life while quietly adding more happiness to the lives of others.

Amélie instantly charmed viewers with its distinctive visuals as she glides along Paris, its quirky script and of course, that immaculate bob.

Audrey Hepburn's regal chignon

Actress Audrey Hepburn sported so many iconic hairstyles in her illustrious career, but it's the 'Audrey up-do' that she's most known for. For her role as Holly Golightly in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, she wore her hair in a high chignon, complete with a chic, short fringe.

Audiences were instantly obsessed, and the timeless, elegant look continues to inspire to this day.

Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra wig

Opinions differ on Mankiewicz's four-hour epic, Cleopatra, which famously cost the studio an estimated $31.1m in 1963 and also courted controversy when co-stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor started an affair while filming.

One thing is clear, though - Taylor's wig is one of the most recognisable cinematic hairstyles. The wig, made of real hair, braided with gold colour beads and coils sold at auction for over £10,000 in 2011 (per IBT).

Margot Robbie's colourful pigtails

Before Margot Robbie was Barbie, she was DC's villain Harley Quinn. Superhero fan or not, it was hard to avoid seeing the posters (and Halloween costumes) featuring her iconic ponytail, featuring one blue and one pink side.

Julia Roberts's high-volume waves in Pretty Woman

Julia Roberts always has enviable hair, but we'll forever envy her high-volume tresses in her breakout role as Vivian in Pretty Woman. Her untamed, wavy red pre-Raphaelite hair reflected her rough-around-the-edges character.

Kirsten Dunst's powdered wigs

Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, was known for her elaborate hairstyles, including piled powdered wigs and her iconic hérisson. So naturally, when Kirsten Dunst played the controversial aristocrat in the 2006 film, we knew we were in for some good hairstyles.

And we weren't disappointed. Shockingly, Dunst's gravity-defying styles weren't wigs, either. "Hairstylist Odile Gilbert thought a wig would look stuffy," Dunst told Allure. "So instead, they would pile foam doughnuts on my head, pin them in place, add extensions, and spray it all with dry shampoo.

"By the end of the shoot, I just had a tuft of Barbie-doll hair. It was strawlike, crunchy, and fried. It eventually grew out, but the back of my head looked disgusting after that film."

Mia Farrow's pixie cut in Rosemary's Baby

While Audrey Hepburn is generally credited with popularising the pixie cut after sporting the style in the 1953 film Roman Holiday, Mia Farrow's hairstyle in Rosemary's Baby is probably better known, and the actress is synonymous with the style.

The story goes that Vidal Sassoon flew in specifically to cut her hair, and that her husband at the time, Frank Sinatra, hated it so much that it led to their divorce. But the oft-quoted story was all wrong. Farrow clarified the truth in a letter to the New York Times in 2013.

"I had literally cut it myself earlier that year with a pair of fingernail scissors while working on the Peyton Place TV series at Fox Studios.

"This was long before I ever heard of Vidal Sassoon. My then-boyfriend, Frank Sinatra, loved the cut, and so I kept it short."

Judy Garland's Dorothy pigtails

While Dorothy's age was never stated in the Wizard of Oz books, she was generally understood to be under 10. Which was a problem when they cast a 16-year-old Garland to play her in the 1939 film.

To bridge the age gap, the filmmakers aged her character up to 12, put her hair in pigtails and reportedly had her wear a binding corset to conceal her figure. The transformation worked, and it's hard to imagine another actress in the iconic role.

Gwyneth Paltrow's pin-straight Margot Tenenbaum bob

Pin straight and swept to the side with one single clip, Gwyneth Paltrow's hair in The Royal Tenenbaums reflected her secretive, cool and deadpan character perfectly. Her wash of kohl eyeliner and fur coat completed the iconic look.

Sharon Stone’s blonde quiff in Casino

Sharon Stone's back-combed, voluminous, sunny-blonde tresses reflected the lavish, excessive lifestyle of her character Ginger in Scorsese's 1995 film, Casino.

Natalie Portman’s pink bob in Closer

Natalie Portman's bubblegum-pink bob she sported in the 2004 film Closer still inspires to this day, and like many great movie hairstyles, it not only looked great, but played an important role in the film's narrative as it marked the character stepping into a different persona.

Portman's makeup artist and stylist, Christine Blundell, revealed to Marie Claire that the wig was a cheap nylon number. "It was a very, very cheap wig. I think they're called Smiffys Wigs now. But yes, it was always that vibrant pink. You buy them off the shelf like that," she shared.

"I remember being presented with a selection of wigs on the day and playing with different wigs, like a white version and blue version, and landing on the pink one because it felt really good for her character."

Uma Thurman’s blunt bob in Pulp Fiction

Who could forget Uma Thurman's razor-sharp bob in Tarantino's 1994 hit, Pulp Fiction? It was perfect for the bold, mysterious and troubled character of Mia Wallace.

Beyonce’s ‘Foxxy Cleopatra’ look

Beyoncé was already a star when she hit the screens as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers: Goldmember, but when the 2002 film came out, she hadn't yet broken out as a solo artist. The cameo caught the attention of fans and critics, but not only for her acting skills, but her blonde-flecked afro.

Her character was a pastiche of characters in blaxploitation films, which had been popularised in the early to mid 70s. "When you start with a name like Foxxy Cleopatra, you can’t help but reference Pam Grier and that era. Goldmember was supposed to be set in ’75, but there were still a lot of ’60s aesthetics," costume designer Deena Appel told Vulture.

Per Vulture, it took wig-maker Erwin Kupitz some 150 hours to create the wig.

Rita Hayworth’s glam Gilda style

Rita Hayworth arguably did the best hair flip in cinematic history in 1946's Gilda, and even if you haven't watched the film, you've probably seen that shot. Her tumbling, side-parted waves just ooze old Hollywood.

There's Something About... Cameron Diaz's iconic blonde bob

Granted, this isn't a look we'll be running to copy (although outside of this famous scene, we do love Cameron Diaz's chic blonde bob). Chances are, when you hear There's Something About Mary, you'll think about the "hair gel" scene. We'll leave it at that.

Kate Winslet goes grunge

Kate Winslet goes through several hair transformations in 2004's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, sporting green, orange and blue hair at different points in the film.

Her hair served as an impactful visual marker of her character Clementine's emotions and relationship with character Joel.

Grace Jones’s signature flat top

Grace Jones was a different kind of Bond girl in 1984's A View to a Kill. With her angular bone structure, androgynous style and flat top hair style, her character May Day wasn't just a sidekick - she was a real match for Bond.

Demi Moore’s buzzcut in G.I. Jane

Actress Demi Moore famously shaved her head for her role as Lt. Jordan O'Neil in the 1997 film G.I. Jane. The cut represented not only her character's commitment to prove herself as a Navy SEAL but also Moore's own commitment to her practice.

She pulled off the bold look with ease, but it's definitely not one for everyone.

Glenn Close goes cruel but chic

Every interpretation of the character of Cruella de Vil features her signature half-white, half-black hair, but it's Glenn Close's portrayal of the Disney villain that remains seared into our memory.

Like all memorable movie hairstyles, her tangled two-tone wave represented the cruel character's infatuation with fur, particularly that of Dalmatians.

Olivia Newton John’s bad-girl waves

Who could forget Olivia Newton-John's blonde-tipped curls in Grease? The character's transformation from preppy shrinking violet to a leather-clad bad girl is also reflected in her hair as she swaps her meticulously styled, straight locks for a wild, curly 'do. Iconic.

Pam Grier’s afro in Foxy Brown

Pam Grier's acting career took off in the 70s during the blaxploitation era, a genre-spanning movement of feature films, focused on Black characters, and made by Black filmmakers. One of the most well-known films of this movement was Foxy Brown, celebrated for its fierce lead played by Grier.

Foxy wasn't only strong and fearless, her character also had enviable hair and style, from her perfectly styled afro to her era-defining 70s fits.

Alicia Silverstone's 90s blowout

Alicia Silverstone's bouncy, voluminous blonde locks in 1995's Clueless reflect her character Cher - a wealthy, fashion-forward teen who never steps a sartorial foot wrong (although she makes lots of other mistakes).

Her hair is also wonderfully reminiscent of the time, and she had the hair we all wanted in the 90s.

Maggie Cheung’s romantic updo

Wong Kar-wai's 2000 In the Mood for Love is a visual treat from start to finish. A mournful love story between two neighbours, the dream-like film follows the characters gliding through Hong Kong.

Maggie Cheung's character, Ms Chan, cuts a striking silhouette in every frame she's in, always impeccably dressed with her hair styled in a meticulous, sculptural updo reflecting her elegant and resilient character.

Jane Fonda’s Barbarella hair

What makes Jane Fonda's voluminous blonde waves in Barbarella so iconic is how well they capture the spirit of the late 60s.

The film was a relative flop on its release in 1968, but time has been kind to it and Fonda's style, with its space-inspired elements and mod touches, is still celebrated.

Lupita Nyong'o’s Wakanda Knots in Black Panther

Lupita Nyong'o's hair was so much of a talking point that the style got given its own name. "Wakanda knots” was a term coined by the head of Black Panther's hair department, Camille Friend.

"I wanted to give her a different look that nobody had ever seen," Friend told Essence. "And she’s the Black Panther’s love interest, so every time you see her on camera, she needs to look gorgeous. So we developed the ‘Wakanda knots.’ People want to call it a Bantu knot, but I’m like, no, it’s the Wakanda knot!"

Catherine Deneuve’s iconic '60s hair

Starring Catherine Deneuve as a bored housewife who embarks on a secret second life, Belle de Jour is delightfully stylish, with the character dressed in Yves Saint Laurent, sporting a rotation of iconic 60s hairstyles.

Her hairstyles switch with her dual identity, from coiffured housewife styles to tousled, undone waves while she's embarking on her extra-marital pursuits.

Molly Ringwald’s iconic bob

Molly Ringwald's cropped red bob in 1985's The Breakfast Club added to her character Claire's girl-next-door vibe and instantly secured her a place in the cultural zeitgeist.

Liza Minnelli’s glamorous Cabaret hair

Everything about Liza Minnelli's character Sally in 1972's Cabaret is glamorous. Her fluttery lashes, her fur stoles, sharp tailoring and of course, her cropped pixie cut and elaborate hats and headpieces.

Brigitte Bardot's famous beehive

Brigitte Bardot's beehive hairstyle is famous in itself, characterised by its soft volume and slightly dishevelled style, so you could pick any film or appearance from the 60s and it would be iconic.

However, we particularly love her hair in 1962's A Very Private Affair, where her beehive reaches peak Bardot. Blonde, glamorous and perfectly undone, her hair is instantly unforgettable.

Jean Seberg’s cool pixie cut in Breathless

Jean Seberg looked so effortlessly cool in Jean-Luc Godard's stylish 1960 film, Breathless. A combination of her androgynous style and distinctive side-swept pixie cut, the actress became an instant style icon on the film's release.

Penelope Cruz's tousled waves

Let's face it, Penelope Cruz's hair always looks amazing, but we particularly love it in 2008's Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Long and wild, her tousled waves reflected her beautiful, volatile character of María Elena.