Hollywood Celebs Before They Lost Their Hair

Texan actor Woody Harrelson is best known for playing eccentric roles on the silver screen, from wayward mentor Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games franchise to the murderous Mickey Knox in the horror flick, Natural Born Killers. Switching effortlessly between comedy and drama is second nature for Harrelson, making for a lengthy and successful Hollywood career.

His long blonde locks in The Hunger Games are all thanks to the on-set beauty department, as Harrelson’s natural hair has thinned over the years.

It’s hard to imagine Sir Ben Kingsley with hair, as he has become known for his distinctive look. He has never had particularly long locks during his career, but he was seen sporting some dark cropped hair in some early roles, like Ron Jenkins in Coronation Street.

But who cares about his appearance, when he has had such an illustrious career? He was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 for his services to the British film industry.

Broadway legend Taye Diggs is most widely known for originating the role of landlord Benny in Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Rent. This was Diggs’ big break, as his career continued to rise at a rapid pace.

He starred in films throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Brown Sugar. Today, Diggs still acts on stage and screen, and he has sported a bald head for most of his career.

Stanley Tucci is one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. Off-screen he’s instantly recognizable with his bald head and thick black glasses, but he can easily slip into any character. In 2010, he told Time Out magazine that he decided to shave his head in his 30s after slowly losing it in a “classic case of male pattern baldness.”

He still looks great and his career has continued to flourish, with roles in Supernova, Easy A, and The Hunger Games among many others.

Sir Patrick Stewart is another Hollywood legend who’s instantly recognizable for his lack of hair. With a successful career spanning six decades, Stewart has been nominated for most of the major acting awards.

It’s hard to imagine anyone else in his iconic roles including Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, or Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek! Before he has a sci-fi star, he began his career on stage, as a long-running member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Scottish actor Sean Connery is best known for his role as suave secret agent James Bond, AKA 007. But, did you know that one of Bond’s secret weapons was a toupee?

Unfortunately, Connery experienced male pattern baldness at a young age. But, he didn’t let this hold him back. He donned a hairpiece for many of his successful roles throughout his career and audiences were none the wiser! Today, at the age of 90, Connery has embraced his baldness.

Samuel L. Jackson knows how to rock a hat. From a baseball cap to a black beret, Jackson is rarely pictured offset without his signature headwear — so it’s easy to miss that he’s bald!

He experiments with hairpieces in most of his film and television roles. Who could forget his permed mullet in Pulp Fiction? Jackson even has an expert wig consultant, Robert L. Stevenson, who takes charge of styling his false hair for stage and screen.

Cuban-American rapper Armando Christian Pérez has many monikers. You may know him as Pitbull, Mr. Worldwide, or Mr. 305! But even if you don’t know his name, you will recognize him for his signature look, consisting of suits, sunglasses and a smoothly shaven head.

He has released 11 albums since his career began back in 2004, and he has also made the move to the big screen with roles in Blood Money, La Gasolina: Reggaeton Explosion, Epic, and Ugly Dolls.

Most people know Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in The Matrix film series. In his role as the captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, he was seen sporting a bald head and tiny black sunglasses. But, he didn’t always look like this!

In 1991, he played the role of Jason ‘Furious’ Styles in the coming-of-age hood drama film Boyz n the Hood, and he clearly had a head full of thick hair. But, he has decided to age gracefully by avoiding wigs off-screen.

Fans of cult ’80s movie Pretty in Pink will remember James Spader’s character, Steff McKee. McKee was the classic popular kid stereotype, with long, luscious blonde hair to boot. However, Spader looks pretty different today. At age 61, he rocks the bald look.

Like many men, his hair gradually thinned over the years. But, he decided to avoid getting a hair transplant, embracing his natural appearance. Hollywood can be prejudiced against men with thin hair, so we respect his tenacity!

Michael Chiklis is best known for playing tough-guy detective Vic Mackey on FX police drama The Shield. But, did you know that he lost his hair at a young age thanks to a special effects make-up mishap?

When he was only 20 years old, he played the role of a 65-year-old man in play You Can’t Take it With You. He used greasepaint to achieve the look of a receding hairline, damaging the follicles on his head.

American actor Ed Harris has had an impressive career. He has explored the solar system as White Team Flight Director Gene Kranz in Apollo 13 and spooked audiences with his role as cunning reality TV ringmaster in The Truman Show.

Harris started experiencing hair loss at an early stage in his career, but he decided to embrace it. Now, the half-bald look has become his signature style. Some people really suit having no hair, and Harris is one of them.

Grease star John Travolta shocked the world when he debuted his bald head on Instagram in 2019. He joined the ranks of Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, embracing his baldness by ditching the wigs and hairpieces and avoiding transplant procedures.

Some fans found it hard to adjust to Travolta without his trademark black locks, but it’s safe to say that he’s rocking his new style. He seems confident, and that’s the most important thing.

Distinguished actor John Malkovich began losing his hair in his 20s, but he didn’t let this hold him back from pursuing a Hollywood career. He began his career on stage but soon swapped theater for the silver screen.

Known for playing intense and energetic characters, Malkovich has starred in over 70 motion pictures, including The Man in the Iron Mask (1998), Of Mice and Men (1992), and Being John Malkovich (1999). Who needs hair when you have this much talent?

Jason Statham is the king of action movies. Unashamedly typecast as the bad-boy antihero, he can often be seen walking away from explosions in slow motion (The Expendables), rescuing people from giant prehistoric sharks (The Meg), or cruising in sports cars with The Rock (Fast & Furious).

Statham is proof that you don’t need a full head of thick hair to be a Hollywood superstar, as his movies have reportedly grossed over $1.5 billion in ticket sales throughout his career.

It takes a tough guy to convincingly play an NYPD Detective, and American actor Christopher Meloni definitely fits the bill. He played Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for its first 12 seasons, from 1999 to 2010.

But, he doesn’t just play cops and other serious roles. Comedy fans may recognize him as Gene in Wet Hot American Summer! At age 60, his hair has disappeared, but it hasn’t hurt his career.

Television personality Howie Mandel burst onto the scene in the 1980s with a mop of curly, black hair. His breakout role was Dr. Wayne Fiscus in hit medical drama St. Elsewhere, but when he returned to screens in 2005 as the host of Deal or No Deal, his hair was nowhere to be seen.

Mandel actually began shaving his head to help him recover from obsessive-compulsive disorder and a phobia of germs. So, now he looks and feels great!

‘Piano Man’ Billy Joel used to be known for his jet black hair. Today, he sports a rather different look! He lost his hair later in life, as it began falling out when he was in his 50s. At first, Joel was desperate to retain his rockstar looks.

But, he soon realized that he wanted to embrace his baldness. His career is still thriving today, and he’s one of the best-selling music artists of all time! Who needs hair?!

American actor Billy Zane rose to prominence after playing Kate Winslet’s wealthy beau Caledon Hockley in the 1997 hit movie Titanic. While he may have thick black hair in the film, he looks quite different in real life.

But for Billy Zane, the bald life is a choice. He began regularly shaving his head before he was even cast in Titanic. He simply prefers to smooth and clean look. In most of his on-screen roles, he’s wearing a wig.

Academy Award-winning actor JK Simmons has played a variety of roles throughout his Hollywood career. From his role as the editor-in-chief of The Daily Bugle in the Spiderman franchise, to Dr. Emil Skoda on the NBC series Law & Order, Simmons captivates audiences at every turn.

He truly suits the bald look, as it makes him seem even more intimidating and threatening. There are rumors that he’ll be reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson in future MCU movies!

No list of famous bald celebrities is complete without Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The former WWE star has been in the spotlight for decades, seamlessly making the switch from the wrestling ring to the big screen.

While he used to sport curly black locks in his WWE days, he now goes for the hairless look. He said that he began shaving his head voluntarily, because his natural afro was too difficult to maintain. It’s hard to imagine him with hair!

From one bald Hollywood legend to another! Die Hard star Bruce Willis has become known for his iconic shaved head. While he may have had some tufts of dark hair when playing New York City police detective John McClane, he decided to grab the clippers shortly after starring in the action franchise.

He enjoys experimenting with different styles on-screen, saying, “I wear makeup in films. I wear hairpieces in films. I don’t wear either in real life. End of subject.”

Alan Wolf Arkin (yep, that’s his real middle name!) has been working in Hollywood for over seven decades. He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor twice, for his performances in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming and The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.

It’s hard to believe that the former was his debut role! He can be seen sporting dark black hair in the film, but today, at age 87, he looks slightly different!

NBA star Michael Jordan is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He’s a hotshot on the court, and a shrewd businessman off the court, making millions of dollars through endorsement deals and media appearances.

He has worked with legendary brands including Nike, Coca-Cola, Gatorade, McDonald’s, and Ball Park Franks. But, he started losing his hair in the ’80s, causing him to turn down a lucrative endorsement deal with Johnson hair care products.

Mark Strong is famous for his portrayal of sinister movie villains, and we can see why he continues to get typecast. His bald head simply adds to the evil genius look! He began losing his hair in the middle of his thriving career, but he calls it “a blessing in disguise.”

Wearing a variety of wigs and hairpieces has allowed him to be cast in lots of different roles, adding to the longevity of his career. It’s a win-win!

When he’s not voicing an animated tree in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Vin Diesel can be found saving the day as the leading man in many Hollywood action movies.

One of his most iconic roles is that of Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Thanks to his muscly physique and shaved head, actor and beloved television host Terry Crews may look like an intimidating guy. But, in reality, he couldn’t be friendlier! Crews made his name in the early 2000s playing the typical ‘tough guy’ character in films like White Chicks.

But today, he’s more known for starring as Terry Jeffords in sitcom Brooklyn Nine Nine. Before he was an actor, he was an NFL player with a full head of hair!

Iconic actor Robert Duvall’s career spans more than seven decades. Considering he’s 10 years away from being an entire century old, you can expect his hair to be rather thin. Here we can see just how much he has changed over the years.

But as the recipient of an Academy Award, four Golden Globe Awards, one BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy Award — we highly doubt that he’s losing sleep over his receding hairline. He’s a Hollywood legend, after all.

Okay, so he isn’t exactly a Hollywood celebrity, but as a member of the British royal family, Prince William is famous all over the world. While many royal scandals have rocked the monarchy over the years, there’s another news story that creeps into the headlines — Prince William’s thinning hair.

He chooses to age gracefully, embracing his natural looks. And his approach has paid off, as The Duke of Cambridge was controversially named the world’s sexiest bald man in 2021.

Michael Keaton has charmed audiences since the 1970s, in sitcoms including All’s Fair and The Mary Tyler Moore Hour. His career has continued to go from strength to strength, winning widespread critical acclaim and awards season accolades for his star turn in black comedy Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

At age 69, his hair is looking thinner than when he made his screen debut in Pittsburgh public television programs Where the Heart Is and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

When you look at Jason Alexander, it’s hard not to picture him as George Costanza. His role as Jerry Seinfeld’s dim-witted best friend in the television series Seinfeld (1989–1998), earned him nominations for seven consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.

Alexander experienced male pattern baldness at a young age, so his hairstyle in Seinfeld was authentic. He has since experimented with hairpieces, but today, he prefers to go for the natural look. He looks great!

Born in Harlem, New York City in 1960, Damon Wayans is part of one of America’s most beloved comedy dynasties. There are 10 Wayans siblings in total, five of which are successful comedians and actors. Wayans has been rocking a bald head for most of his career, so it’s almost strange to see old photos of him with hair!

His career breakthrough came on FOX’s sketch comedy show In Living Color, but he’s still active in Hollywood today.

Like many of his fellow Breaking Bad stars, Aaron Paul (AKA Jesse Pinkman) rocks a shaved head in the hit show. He has sported a range of different styles over the years, trying on different wigs, hairpieces, and even styling his own hair.

Today, Aaron Paul sticks to a close buzzcut. This style compliments his high hairline, as people have suspected that he has experienced thinning and hair loss over the years, just like many other men of his age.

He earned one of his first roles in Beverly Hills Cop in 1984, but his career is still thriving. While Jonathan Banks’ acting skills haven’t deteriorated, his hairline unfortunately has! Just like his on-screen enemy Walter White, Breaking Bad star Banks has completely lost his hair.

However, his appearance helps to create the appearance of his iconic character Mike Ehrmantraut, a role that he has reprised in Better Call Saul and its sequel film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.

American actor and comedian David Cross is famous for playing eccentric Tobias Fünke in the sitcom Arrested Development, but Gen-Z kids may know him as villain Ian Hawke in the Alvin and the Chipmunks live-action/CGI franchise!

Cross has lacked hair for most of his entertainment career, but a peek into old family photos will show a bushy haired teenager! He’s barely recognisable in this old photograph. It’s safe to say that some people simply suit the bald look.