Matt James, Brad Pitt, DJ Pauly D and More Dudes Showing Off Their Beards: Photos

Letting it grow! While some men in Hollywood opt for a shaved face 24/7, others like to take a bit of a risk when it comes to their facial hair. 

[ami-related id="1948541" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/pictures/celebrity-hair-changes-in-2021-haircuts-color-extensions/" title="Consider Us Officially Obsessed With Camila Cabello’s Blunt Bob" target="_blank" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Consider-Us-Officially-Obsessed-With-Camila-Cabellos-Blunt-Bob-001.jpg?quality=86&strip=all" imgid="2089221" format="gallery" flag="" channel="33"]

Whether they’re simply embracing a five o’clock shadow or going all-out, a few hunks are able to rock a beard like it’s their full time job. From red carpet appearances and movie premieres to the ever-popular quarantine hair growth spurt, scruff and goatees have made their appearance on many men in the spotlight. 

And given that Saturday, September 4, is World Beard Day (yes, it’s a thing), it only felt appropriate to round up the best facial hair from the past few years. A little grooming inspiration, if you will. 

At the top of our list, is none other than former Bachelor Matt James. Now, while his beard is nothing short of controversial, he’s made clear that he’s committed to keeping it in tact. 

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Despite Bachelor Nation's far and wide objection to his fuzzy facial hair, which he debuted during his Women Tell All episode, James’ look has grown on best friend and former Bachelor star Tyler Cameron. 

“I used to be against the beard. I was like, ‘What are you doing, Matt?’ But now, I like the beard because I look back on old pictures of him and he looks kind of creepy without it,” the author told Cheddar News in August 2021. 

The reality star is far from the only celeb to make waves with his facial hair this year. Brad Pitt sent fans into a total tizzy after bringing his scruffy look — man bun included — to the Oscars stage in April. 

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor skipped out on the scissors and the razor for the big night, presenting the award for best supporting actress in all his goatee glory. 

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Flashback to 2020 and beards were all the range, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many celebs took the whole lockdown situation as an opportunity to let their facial hair be wild and free. 

DJ Pauly D for one embraced a beard, documenting his facial hair journey on social media. In April of that year, the Jersey Shore alum took to Twitter to show off his new growth. “Quarantine Beard ……” he captioned a selfie, in which fans thought he looked unrecognizable. 

One month later, the reality star even provided his followers with an update. “Yo… Beards coming’ in quite nicely,” he said in a video via Instagram. He captioned the clip, “Hi I Have A Beard….” 

To see these stars rocking facial hair and some of the other best beards in Hollywood, keep scrolling because we’re rounding up the top scruff on the scene, below. 

[podcast_block]

Letting it grow! While some men in Hollywood opt for a shaved face 24/7, others like to take a bit of a risk when it comes to their facial hair. 

[ami-related id="1948541" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/pictures/celebrity-hair-changes-in-2021-haircuts-color-extensions/" title="Consider Us Officially Obsessed With Camila Cabello’s Blunt Bob" target="_blank" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Consider-Us-Officially-Obsessed-With-Camila-Cabellos-Blunt-Bob-001.jpg?quality=86&strip=all" imgid="2089221" format="gallery" flag="" channel="33"]

Whether they’re simply embracing a five o’clock shadow or going all-out, a few hunks are able to rock a beard like it’s their full time job. From red carpet appearances and movie premieres to the ever-popular quarantine hair growth spurt, scruff and goatees have made their appearance on many men in the spotlight. 

And given that Saturday, September 4, is World Beard Day (yes, it’s a thing), it only felt appropriate to round up the best facial hair from the past few years. A little grooming inspiration, if you will. 

At the top of our list, is none other than former Bachelor Matt James. Now, while his beard is nothing short of controversial, he’s made clear that he’s committed to keeping it in tact. 

[ami-related id="2058286" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/pictures/hollywood-hunks-hottest-swim-trunks-moments-in-2021/" title="Neil Patrick Harris Shows Off His Impressive Abs: ‘165 Pounds Soaking Wet’" target="_blank" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Neil-Patrick-Harris-Shows-Off-His-Impressive-Abs-165-Pounds-Soaking-Wet.jpg?quality=86&strip=all" imgid="2087431" format="gallery" flag="" channel="33"]

Despite Bachelor Nation's far and wide objection to his fuzzy facial hair, which he debuted during his Women Tell All episode, James’ look has grown on best friend and former Bachelor star Tyler Cameron. 

“I used to be against the beard. I was like, ‘What are you doing, Matt?’ But now, I like the beard because I look back on old pictures of him and he looks kind of creepy without it,” the author told Cheddar News in August 2021. 

The reality star is far from the only celeb to make waves with his facial hair this year. Brad Pitt sent fans into a total tizzy after bringing his scruffy look — man bun included — to the Oscars stage in April. 

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor skipped out on the scissors and the razor for the big night, presenting the award for best supporting actress in all his goatee glory. 

[ami-related id="1448696" url="https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/pictures/celebrities-with-bangs-best-haircuts-with-fringe/" title="Total Transformation! Kaley Cuoco Casually Debuts Blunt Bangs: Pic" target="_blank" thumb="false" imgsrc="https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Total-Transformation-Kaley-Cuoco-Casually-Debuts-Blunt-Bangs-Pic-001.jpg?quality=86&strip=all" imgid="2076452" format="gallery" flag="" channel="33"]

Flashback to 2020 and beards were all the range, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many celebs took the whole lockdown situation as an opportunity to let their facial hair be wild and free. 

DJ Pauly D for one embraced a beard, documenting his facial hair journey on social media. In April of that year, the Jersey Shore alum took to Twitter to show off his new growth. “Quarantine Beard ……” he captioned a selfie, in which fans thought he looked unrecognizable. 

One month later, the reality star even provided his followers with an update. “Yo… Beards coming’ in quite nicely,” he said in a video via Instagram. He captioned the clip, “Hi I Have A Beard….” 

To see these stars rocking facial hair and some of the other best beards in Hollywood, keep scrolling because we’re rounding up the top scruff on the scene, below. 

[podcast_block]

The Star Trek actor debuted a bushy beard at the All the Old Knives premiere in March 2022. “It’s like, equal parts laziness and equal parts something I may do in the future,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight about his facial hair.

Clean cut! After announcing his “Jared Leto” phase in January, the Tempting Fate actor shaved his beard and chopped his hair. “It was time,” he captioned a February 2022 selfie shared via Instagram Stories.

In a January 2022 interview on “Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum,” the Supernatural star revealed that he upped his grooming routine for his role on The Boys.

“I did not know I could grow a beard like that. I had more products for the beast on my face than any other part of my body,” he joked, noting that he stocked up on shampoo, oil, conditioner, balm, butter and wax.

The "Better" singer showed off his full beard in a January 2022 Instagram post while showing off his Arnette sunglasses.

The beard stays! The former Bachelor caused quite the stir within Bachelor Nation, many objecting to his facial hair. He even pranked his followers on April Fools’ Day, joking that he finally shaved. Alas, his beard is still going strong. 

Facial hair, but make it fancy. For the 2021 Oscars, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor stepped on stage with a full blow man bun and goatee. 

The big shave! Middleton wanted to surprise his wife by shaving off his beard. “It’s been 7 years since I last shaved so I decided to surprise Alizee,” he captioned a May 2020 Instagram post. He shortly grew back his beard. 

“Quarantine Beard…..” the Jersey Shore alum captioned an April 2020 tweet. The g2b ambassador has kept up his facial hair growth, and fans seem to give their stamp of approval. 

“Looks so much better with the beard,” one person commented. Another said: “You look great!!!” 

Growing it out! The actor committed to embracing facial hair during the pandemic, announcing his intentions in March 2020. “Day 1. I’m growing a beard until we all go back to work. I’ll post reg pics so you can marvel at the miracle of my meaningless transformation. Normally, I try to stay on the cutting edge of entertainment. Now I shall conquer the unfitting edge. Please join me,” he captioned his tweet. 

Sexy scruff! The actor rocked a bit of a beard at the Global Citizen Festival in September 2019. Jackman previously embraced a longer beard for his role in Les Miserables and some muttonchops for Wolverine. 

 

While the actor has tried everything from a full beard to a clean shaven face, he settled on some subtle scruff for the 2019 MET Gala. 

 

The former Jeopardy host stunned fans when he debuted a new look for the game show’s 35th season premiere. Trebek joked that he hoped the beard wouldn’t “be a distraction for our players” — but viewers couldn’t help but react to the TV personality’s facial fuzz. Jeopardy’s Instagram account even capitalized on fan reactions with a post that asked followers to vote on “To beard or not to beard!”

The Late Show host grew in his facial hair over the summer of 2018, debuting it on his talk show. “I grew this over the break … surprised me, came in all white. Evidentially talking about Donald Trump for two years has made my mouth old,” he joked in September 2018. “I want to take a moment right now to apologize to Wolf Blitzer’s beard for copyright infringement.”

The Grease star is no stranger to being a chameleon when it comes to his appearance. Although he routinely switches up his look — including sporting a mustache and once even a landing strip on his chin — the actor opted for a mature look in 2018 by growing a salt-and-pepper beard.

The Big Bang Theory actor graduated from a face full of stubble to a full-grown beard, showing off his scruff while going food shopping in August 2018.

The Face/Off star, who has rocked the same look since the '90s, was nearly unrecognizable flaunting a gray beard at Disneyland in August 2018.

The “Take Care” rapper graduated from looking like he still belongs at Degrassi High with the help of a shaped beard. Like everything Drake does, his move to grow facial hair came with some criticism: Fans accused him of wearing a fake beard!

In between filming blockbusters, the Forest Gump star lets his beard grow in. In June 2018, he shared a selfie that put his facial fuzz on display in all of its glory.