The dark side - from blonde to brunette
More photos:Thursday February 05 2009
There comes a point in every blonde's life when she suddenly becomes acutely aware of the easy, cheesy, compliant and bland signals her hair hue is transmitting. And Scarlett Johansson, it appears, just had that epiphany.
To the disappointment of men the world over, this week at the Hollywood premiere of He's Just Not That Into You the actress finally revealed her dark side. Styling-wise, it was a strangely flat, limp, Nineties throwback - the result of over-zealous use of straightening irons. But this is a mere teething problem. In terms of colour, she was spot on, suggesting a newly serious, challenging, intelligent and intriguing Scarlett.
Still, you might ask, what was wrong with the blonde? Didn't it suit her bombshell status? Perhaps - but it also spoke of pappy, candyfloss, cheesecake Americana; like Paris and Britney, she had reached the vanilla apogee of blondeness. So blonde was she that Dolce & Gabbana hired her to imitate Marilyn Monroe in one of their ad campaigns this spring.
But, like legions before her, on climbing to the top of the mountain marked "blonde and iconic" she found that there was absolutely nothing there.
The problem faced by cool young actresses such as Johansson is that, while being blonde has its benefits, a girl's never going to look remotely edgy or counter-culture if she's flaxen-haired, not unless she's a Gwen Stefani/Debbie Harry punky peroxide, or is ravaged and root-ridden like Courtney Love. And you're never going to look smart, however many Woody Allen films you star in.
In short, Scarlett's dalliance with the Nice 'n Easy was a professional decision. It was the equivalent of choosing to work with an acclaimed indie director like Darren Aronofsky after years of starring in Jerry Bruckheimer blockbusters. And as Penelope Cruz and Angelina Jolie prove, being dark is no bar to sex appeal. Now Scarlett can have it both ways. I once met her, five years ago in New York at a Calvin Klein perfume launch, and I have to confirm that brunette is far more appropriate for her persona: she is ballsy, forthright and fearless. Far more sagacious, and sharp than your stereotypical bubbly blonde.
Independent she may be, but a starlet's hair colour is closely related to the kind of male audience she is seeking, and everyone from Cate Blanchett to Cameron Diaz has switched sides - either for particular roles or to reflect a stage in their careers. As a blonde you can expect support from the sports jocks, the white van men and great swathes of average Joes. Brunette stars such Rose McGowan and Dita Von Teese will hook a far more interesting and cerebral breed - geeky, punky, outsiders. It comes as no surprise that Johansson's husband, Ryan Reynolds, something of a free-spirited motorcycle freak, used to date the uncompromisingly unconventional (and naturally brown-haired) Alanis Morissette. I bet he prefers Scarlett dark.
- Bethan Cole
