In a Wild Turn of Events, Helen Mirren Has Blue Hair

Leave it to the Cannes Film Festival to bring out some wild beauty transformations. The first jaw-dropping moment from this year’s festivities is brought to us by the one and only Helen Mirren—and it’s going to be hard to top. For the "Jeanne du Barry" screening and red carpet ceremony, the L’Oréal ambassador decided to arrive in a monochromatic look that was bound to turn heads. She paired her pale blue, off-the-shoulder gown with an undeniably blue head of hair. 

Upon deep inspection, the Catherine the Great actress’ new look doesn’t appear to be permanent. We’re likely dealing with some dyed extensions or clip-ins—maybe even a little temporary hair color situation. There are varying shades of blue in the mix as well as a hint of purple, but the actress’ icy roots remain intact. 

Mirren has been very open about embracing her grey hair, telling Vogue that she came to the decision following her role as Queen Charlotte in the Madness of King George. “They would be powdered in white and gray because it was incredibly flattering and they understood that,” she told the outlet. “Going gray is to be encouraged.” Mirren’s decision to embrace her gray hue was relatively easy, given that she is a natural blonde, and her tone historically turned white with sun exposure. “The process of me losing the color of my hair was very easy—it just looked more and more as if I had been in the sun, but year-round.” 

In short: She’s all about accepting  the change—and is a proponent of others doing the same. In an interview with People, she explained that she thinks most women fear the transition as it signifies getting older; but they shouldn't. “Of course, you are in that age group. I'm sorry, but you are! So, why not just embrace it, go along with it and welcome it?" she said. "Make it a positive thing as opposed to a negative thing."