7 Celebs You Never Realized Are Natural Redheads

There are some stars who look so amazing as redheads that it's a little unbelievable they weren't naturally born with the hair color. Emma Stone, who looks majorly different with her natural hair color, is a great example of a Hollywood figure who effortlessly pulls off a red dye job. The science behind the sought-after shade does cushion the shock of these faux-carrot tops, though, as The University of Melbourne states that only one or two individuals out of every 100 have naturally red hair. While the pigment appears across all ethnicities, the mutated MC1R gene behind the color must be present in both parents for a child to be born with red hair.

With this rarity in mind, the handful of secret redheads in Hollywood is just as surprising as the number of convincing dye jobs. It may be a much-desired hair color, but that doesn't mean everyone who has it wants to stick with it. Many of these celebs change up their look for roles, but others simply find themselves preferring a different aesthetic. Either way, these low-key gingers rank among celebs who are nearly unrecognizable with their natural hair color.

Nicole Kidman looks beautiful rocking a bright shade of blond at red carpet events, with the "Babygirl" star also being known to don different wigs for her onscreen characters. Still, long-time fans know that Kidman has had a major hair transformation, as her natural red hue and bouncy curls can be seen in photos from her early career. While she looks gorgeous with the fiery color, the "Moulin Rogue!" actor has talked about her early preference for blond. "I really wanted to have that suntanned skin and long [blond] hair," she said in an interview with Who Magazine (per Today). "I wanted to conform and be the Aussie beach girl."

Though Benedict Cumberbatch has sported a dark hair color for roles in projects like "Sherlock" and "Doctor Strange," the London native has asserted that he's a natural redhead — though a very specific kind. "I'm not ginger," he told Toronto Star in 2013. "I'm auburn and there is a difference." He added that, at the time, his true hair color had never appeared in any of his projects — not even the stage play of "Frankenstein," in which he appeared nude as the Creature. "[My hair has] streaks of red [and] bronze [in it]. When I was a kid I was as blond as the young Julian in ['The Fifth Estate,']" he said.

Kate Mara has sported everything from a platinum blond bob to a sleek brunette cut when stepping into new characters, telling Hello! Magazine that it was a natural part of her profession. "I like to change my look for whatever role I'm playing so I was happy to do it," she said, speaking specifically about a brunette pixie she was rocking in 2015. Even so, the "Fantastic Four" actor's natural hair color is dark auburn. Not only do throwback snapshots show off the look, but she returned to her red shade in late 2025, with celebrity hairstylists sharing the transformation in an Instagram video.

Tilda Swinton has a very iconic look, pairing her fair complexion with a shock of platinum hair. At the same time, the "Suspiria" actor has majorly changed things up for her onscreen projects, transforming into everything from a honey blond magazine editor in "Trainwreck" to a bald mystic in "Doctor Strange." Regardless, the celeb is actually a natural redhead, a detail peeped in old photos and early interviews. She even shared an anecdote about buying David Bowie's "Aladdin Sane" album as a kid because she related to his cover look. "He [and] I looked very similar," Swinton told IPR. "I was incredibly pale and skinny and had red hair and there he was with this sort of mercury collarbone and so beautiful."

Long-time fans of Laura Prepon will remember her iconic role as the redheaded Donna Pinciotti on "That '70s Show." While the ginger hue is her natural color, Prepon's career has seen her take on some majorly different shades. She donned a bright blond across projects like "Are You There, Chelsea?" and "October Road," while sporting a deep black shade for "Orange is the New Black." Prepon eventually returned to her original shade in 2023, sharing her transformation to social media.

Tom Hiddleston is known for playing Loki, the God of Mischief, in a number of Marvel movies and in the eponymous Disney+ series, sporting a sleek black dye job as Thor's brother. While it's not the only time he has altered his appearance for a project, the dark and moody look is a far cry from his actual hair color. The celeb has previously described himself as blond, but the hue has seemingly darkened over time, as he showed off his natural red-toned color in an interview with Starz Buzz. In a clip captured by fans, Hiddleston attributed the color to his heritage. "I'm half Scottish," he said. "So, [it's] ginger and curly."

Those who know Ellie Kemper from her role as Erin Hannon on "The Office" might be surprised to learn that she's a natural redhead. While her stint on the hit comedy saw her go brunette, she was back to an auburn hue for "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" in 2015. The Missouri native has opened up about the unexpected impact of the temporary change. "When I was a brunette, I felt like people took me more seriously," she told Time. "I don't know if it's the characters I play or the fact that I'm a redhead, but people laugh at me before I say anything."