Kelly Rowland's Bright Blue Bob Is Inspired by Oompa Loompas

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—but make it chic.

Kelly Rowland
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Depending on when you were born, you likely have a different favorite iteration of Willy Wonka. The early '70s had Gene Wilder, whereas millennials have Johnny Depp—and the world will soon be introduced to Timothée Chalamet's version. While Wilder is the classic (and I'm excited to see Timmy!), I'll always love Depp's weird, clout goggle-bespeckled take on the candymaker. And Kelly Rowland seems to agree.

While attending the Los Angeles premiere of Wonka on Sunday, December 10, the 42-year-old turned out a look entirely reminiscent of Depp's 2005 character—with a 1971 movie twist. Walking the red carpet, the Destiny's Child star was nearly unrecognizable with her black hair tucked into a short, teal wig.

A post shared by Kelly Rowland

A photo posted by kellyrowland on

"I gotta golden ticket," she wrote via Instagram with a wink emoji. "Willy Wonka is my childhood favorite!!"

While Rowland's bob was a replica of Depp's haircut in the '05 movie (if anything, it's a little longer) the color was all Oompa Loompa. In the 1971 film, Wonka's factory workers wear their hair coiffed in an electric-green shade. In the new movie, Hugh Grant brings the color back, with a little added brightness made for 2023's high res TV screens.

While Rowland received some compliments on her costume ("sooooooo goood" wrote Taraji P. Henson), some loved the look on her for real. "No color you can’t do," wrote Gia Peppers.

In a second Instagram post, the "Like This" singer shared some behind-the-scenes clips of her wig application. "A world of pure imagination! Getting ready for Wonka was one thing, viewing it another!" she captioned the post, going on to compliment the movie's cast and crew.

In the clip, celebrity hairstylist SherriAnn Cole applies the wig, which Rowland wore with Depp's signature Wonka glasses and a polka dot top on the red carpet. Cole also cut and styled the hairpiece for the event. "Blue hair, ladies and gentlemen. Well, teal," says Rowland in the clip, complimenting her hairstylist's work. "So yummy."

Sophia Vilensky
Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.