Reese Witherspoon Looks So Different Without Her Signature Blonde Hair

It's hard to separate Reese Witherspoon from her signature blonde hair. Although Witherspoon has been in the industry for quite a long time, over the years she's expanded her career to almost empire-like proportions. These days, in addition to acting, she's a producer, the brainchild behind Reese's Book Club — yes, she really reads all of her Reese's Book Club picks — and in 2023, she made Forbes' list of America's Richest Self-Made Women in the United States. To say she's come a long way would be a gross understatement for this multi-talented woman. 

While Witherspoon certainly has an impressive resume, it's still impossible to not think of her iconic blonde hair when you hear her name. In April 2019, Witherspoon talked to Allure about the secret to that absolutely perfect shade of blonde. "Her name's Lorri Goddard," said Witherspoon, adding that Goddard had been her colorist for 15 years at that point. "[She's] taken me from blonde to red to brown, back to blonde. She's meticulous about the balayage process and puts oil on the roots and tips so they don't break." According to Witherspoon, it took a whopping three hours to have her highlights done, and she went to Goddard every seven to eight weeks to keep her roots in check.

Although Witherspoon has had quite the stunning hair transformation, where things get interesting is when she's not blonde. Like trying to imagine Marilyn Monroe without her blonde tresses, it feels almost impossible. However, also like Monroe, Witherspoon has rocked other hair colors, and it's almost shocking how different they've made her look. 

In February 1999, Reese Witherspoon attended the premiere of her film "Cruel Intentions" with this lovely shade of strawberry blonde hair, loosely pulled back in fairly casual style. Letting her natural waves do their own thing without being tamed, the strawberry blonde gave Witherspoon a very soft and innocent appearance. Which, if you've ever seen "Cruel Intentions," is very much in line with her character, Annette. Granted, celebrities taking method dressing to the next level to promote movies wasn't much of a thing in the '90s, but if it were, this hair color and style would've nailed it.

While Reese Witherspoon got a little heavy-handed with the blush (one of her makeup mistakes we can't ignore) when she appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in August 2004, what's even more baffling is how un-Reese she looked. Witherspoon had gone chestnut brown for her role as June Carter Cash in 2005's "Walk the Line." Not only did she pull off the hair color spectacularly well, but her performance solidified her as one of the most talented actors of her generation. "Walk the Line" garnered numerous nominations and awards, including Witherspoon's Best Actress Oscar.

In 2013, Reese Witherspoon attended a screening of her 2012 film "Mud," and showed up rocking fantastic auburn beach waves. With her hair just a few inches below her shoulders and a slightly off-center part, it was a fun way to spice things up — she'd been blonde for several years at that point. It was also a reminder that when you have the facial features that Witherspoon has, you can literally do anything and look fabulous. The shade also brought even more attention to her striking blue eyes.

Although Reese Witherspoon was blonde as Becky Sharp in 2004's "Vanity Fair," when she was promoting the film at the 61st Venice Film Festival, her hair was somewhere between a very dark blonde and a lovely chocolate brown. While not quite as flattering as the chestnut hair she had just a month before while on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," that may have more to do with styling than coloring. During her interview with Leno, her layers were on full display, while in Venice, Witherspoon rocked more of a half-up, half-down look.

In 1991, a 15-year-old Reese Witherspoon was all smiles while at the 17^th Festival de Deauville promoting her very first film, "The Man in the Moon." By the looks of it, this may have been the last time Witherspoon was so close to her natural hair color. Despite it being more than 30 years later, the Witherspoon of today is just as gorgeous bare-faced and makeup-free as she was in 1991. What's also so charming about this photo is that this teenager has no idea what amazing things lay ahead of her and the astonishing life she'll lead.

For the "How Do You Know" world premiere in 2010, Reese Witherspoon went very golden blonde with her hair color. Although a far cry from her signature blonde locks of today, it's still a shade that worked for Witherspoon — especially in that era. The early aughts were all about being bold and excessive, as evidenced here with the smokey eye shadow, a makeup choice that perfectly complements this bright gold tone that almost borders on yellow.

In May 2013, for an interview with "Good Morning America," Reese Witherspoon wore her hair the darkest we've ever seen it. While not exactly black, as the studio lights reveal there are some warm undertones in there, it's safe to say this is as close as Witherspoon has ever gotten to espresso colored hair. With the pin-straight texture, slightly off center part, the conservative dress, and simple black heels, Witherspoon looked more like your favorite English teacher than the bubbly blonde Elle Woods the world fell in love with just 12 years before.

Although Reese Witherspoon wasn't in 1996's "2 Days in the Valley," she did attend the premiere. Fresh from filming "Freeway" and "Fear," Witherspoon was transitioning into more adult roles. While her hair is definitely lighter than her natural color, here she's still a couple of decades away from achieving her signature blonde. As for the lipstick, kudos to Witherspoon for mastering the art of the red lip so early in her career. Such a bold move usually doesn't come about until later on for many people.