Zendaya does not wait for summer to get highlights. The Euphoria star debuted her honey blonde highlights months after revealing her short bob.
The blonde locks first made an appearance on the 26-year-old’s Instagram Story on Friday, February 3. Zendaya posted a selfie that cut off the top of her face, revealing just the ends of her blonde waves. The natural curls nearly hit her shoulder. She complimented the lighter hair with a bright orange and red turtleneck tank top.
The Spider-Man: No Way Home star gave fans a better look at her locks on Saturday, February 4. In another Instagram Story selfie, Zendaya posed in a white T-shirt, green striped sweater and beige trousers. Her makeup gave her a fresh-faced, dewy look and her hair was styled into sleek, voluminous curls.
The two-time Emmy winner first debuted her bob in December. After first unveiling the ’90s-inspired haircut at the Euphoria For Your Consideration event in Los Angeles on December 19, she showed off the subtle transformation via a one-second clip on Instagram. The former Disney Channel star ran her fingers through her newly chopped tresses, showing off the shorter length.
The look is a big change for Zendaya. Amid playing Rue on her HBO drama and MJ in the Spider-Man franchise, the actress has largely had to stick with long hair over the past few years. She has had fun with color and styling, but fans haven’t seen her hair short in quite some time.
Of course, not all of the California native’s transformations have been welcomed with open arms. She received backlash after attending the 2016 Grammys with a half-blonde mullet. In her October 2021 InStyle cover story, Zendaya said she was a few years ahead of a trend with her business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back look.
“I got dragged for my mullet at the time, but kids love mullets now,” she said. “I’m happy about my David Bowie mullet.”
The Malcolm and Marie star is sure to turn heads at her next red carpet. She is nominated for Best Female Actor in a Drama Series for her work on Euphoria at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on February 26. She already won a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Award for her role as a teen drug addict, but she was absent from both award shows.
The last time she stole the show in person was at the Emmys in September where she won her second statue for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama.
“Thank you for believing in me even in my moments where I didn’t believe in myself,” Zendaya said in her acceptance speech at the time. “I just want to say, you know, my greatest wish for Euphoria was that it could help heal people. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their story with me. I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like they are a Rue, I want you to know I’m so grateful for your stories and I carry them with me, and I carry them with her.”
