Sarah Paulson Arrived at the 2022 Emmys With a Chocolate Pixie—and She Looks Like a Different Person

You literally won’t recognize her.

sarah paulson hair
(Image credit: Getty)

There’s no time like the Emmys to switch up your hair, right? That was the logic for Sarah Paulson, who stepped on the red carpet with quite a dramatic new look. Her blonde hue that we’ve come to know and love was replaced with a chocolate brown pixie cut that made her look pretty, well, unrecognizable. So do your double takes and let the new ‘do sink in—the entire Internet is doing the same. 

The general consensus: The hair transformation is a win. “OMG Sarah Paulson’s hair looks soooooo cute,” one person tweeted, while another said, “Sarah Paulson I love your hair!!” Another genius fan pointed out, “I love how much her hair has changed over the years….she can wear anything!!” The final comment is spot on; Paulson is somewhat of a hair color chameleon. 

This year, the American Horror Story star has debuted a platinum hue, a longer pixie bob, and a chin-length chop. In the past, she’s had some fun with her look, playing with different hues (she’s been a redhead, had pink hair, and even rocked a copper tone). Such dramatic changes may seem like a big deal, but for Paulson, it’s all in the name of fun. “For me, it’s more like, ‘I’m tired of this hair; I’m going to cut it,’” she previously revealed in an interview with InStyle. “There is no bravery involved.” 

While she now consults the pros for her big hair color and cut switch ups, she used to do the whole thing DIY. “Some of my more badass moments happened when I was younger, like when I took a box of jet-black L’Oréal hair dye and covered my head with it. I was a sad faux-punk teenager,” she joked. While that photo in question remains under lock and key, we’re hopeful that the star is just getting started with her hair experimentation. 

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Samantha Holender
Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.