The Best Redheads of All Time, From Julia Roberts to Rihanna

Calin Van Paris
Updated

The 38 Best Redheads of All Time

<h1 class="title">Jessica Chastain</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, <em>Vogue,</em> August 2014</cite>

Jessica Chastain

Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, August 2014
<h1 class="title">George Gower, <em>Elizabeth I,</em> 1588</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images</cite>

George Gower, Elizabeth I, 1588

Photo: Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Gustav Klimt, <em>Lady with Hat and Feather Boa,</em> 1909</h1>

Gustav Klimt, Lady with Hat and Feather Boa, 1909

<h1 class="title">Amedeo Modigliani, <em>The Woman with Red Hair,</em> 1917</h1>

Amedeo Modigliani, The Woman with Red Hair, 1917

<h1 class="title">Bette Davis, 1938</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Rex</cite>

Bette Davis, 1938

Photo: Rex
<h1 class="title">Dorothy Gale and Glinda the Good Witch, <em>The Wizard of Oz,</em> 1939</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Mary Evans/Warner Bros. Turner Entertainment/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection</cite>

Dorothy Gale and Glinda the Good Witch, The Wizard of Oz, 1939

Photo: Mary Evans/Warner Bros. Turner Entertainment/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection
<h1 class="title">Rita Hayworth, 1944</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images</cite>

Rita Hayworth, 1944

Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Lucille Ball, 1955</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images</cite>

Lucille Ball, 1955

Photo: Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Suzy Parker</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Irving Penn, <em>Vogue,</em> May 1955</cite>

Suzy Parker

Photographed by Irving Penn, Vogue, May 1955
<h1 class="title">Wilma and Pebbles, <em>The Flintstones,</em> 1960</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of ABC</cite>

Wilma and Pebbles, The Flintstones, 1960

Photo: Courtesy of ABC
<h1 class="title">Tina Louise, <em>Gilligan’s Island,</em> 1964</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.</cite>

Tina Louise, Gilligan’s Island, 1964

Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
<h1 class="title">Ann-Margret, 1965</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images</cite>

Ann-Margret, 1965

Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Raquel Welch, <em>One Million Years B.C.,</em> 1966</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox</cite>

Raquel Welch, One Million Years B.C., 1966

Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
<h1 class="title">David Bowie, 1972</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of RCA Records</cite>

David Bowie, 1972

Photo: Courtesy of RCA Records
<h1 class="title">Axl Rose, 1980</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: KMazur/WireImage</cite>

Axl Rose, 1980

Photo: KMazur/WireImage
<h1 class="title">Sonia Rykiel, 1981</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Sergio Gaudenti/Kipa/Corbis</cite>

Sonia Rykiel, 1981

Photo: Sergio Gaudenti/Kipa/Corbis
<h1 class="title">Molly Ringwald, <em>The Breakfast Club,</em> 1985</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Universal Pictures/Getty Images</cite>

Molly Ringwald, The Breakfast Club, 1985

Photo: Universal Pictures/Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Jessica Rabbit, 1988</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Buena Vista Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection</cite>

Jessica Rabbit, 1988

Photo: Buena Vista Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection
<h1 class="title">Ariel, <em>The Little Mermaid,</em> 1989</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Walt Disney Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection</cite>

Ariel, The Little Mermaid, 1989

Photo: Walt Disney Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
<h1 class="title">Julia Roberts, <em>Pretty Woman,</em> 1990</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Everett Collection</cite>

Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman, 1990

Photo: Everett Collection
<h1 class="title">Susan Sarandon, <em>Thelma and Louise,</em> 1991</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images</cite>

Susan Sarandon, Thelma and Louise, 1991

Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Claire Danes, <em>My So Called Life,</em> 1994</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Mark Seliger/ABC via Getty Images</cite>

Claire Danes, My So Called Life, 1994

Photo: Mark Seliger/ABC via Getty Images
<h1 class="title">Ginger Spice, 1997</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Records</cite>

Ginger Spice, 1997

Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Records
<h1 class="title">Julianne Moore, <em>Boogie Nights,</em> 1997</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: New Line Cinema/Photofest</cite>

Julianne Moore, Boogie Nights, 1997

Photo: New Line Cinema/Photofest
<h1 class="title">Milla Jovovich, <em>The Fifth Element, 1997</em></h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures</cite>

Milla Jovovich, The Fifth Element, 1997

Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
<h1 class="title">Franka Potente, <em>Run Lola Run,</em> 1998</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Sony Pictures Classics/courtesy Everett Collection</cite>

Franka Potente, Run Lola Run, 1998

Photo: Sony Pictures Classics/courtesy Everett Collection
<h1 class="title">Maggie Rizer</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Arthur Elgort, <em>Vogue,</em> June 1999</cite>

Maggie Rizer

Photographed by Arthur Elgort, Vogue, June 1999
<h1 class="title">Karen Elson</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Bruce Weber, <em>Vogue,</em> June 2001</cite>

Karen Elson

Photographed by Bruce Weber, Vogue, June 2001
<h1 class="title">Nicole Kidman, <em>Moulin Rouge,</em> 2001</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: 20th Century Fox/Photofest</cite>

Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge, 2001

Photo: 20th Century Fox/Photofest
<h1 class="title">Lana Del Rey, 2010</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Polydor Records/Interscope Records</cite>

Lana Del Rey, 2010

Photo: Courtesy of Polydor Records/Interscope Records
<h1 class="title">Rihanna</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, <em>Vogue,</em> April 2011</cite>

Rihanna

Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, April 2011
<h1 class="title">Prince Harry, 2011</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: James Devaney/FilmMagic</cite>

Prince Harry, 2011

Photo: James Devaney/FilmMagic
<h1 class="title">Florence Welch</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Angelo Pennetta, <em>Vogue,</em> May 2013</cite>

Florence Welch

Photo: Angelo Pennetta, Vogue, May 2013
<h1 class="title">Grace Coddington, 2013</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Grace Coddington</cite>

Grace Coddington, 2013

Photo: Courtesy of Grace Coddington
<h1 class="title">Emma Stone</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Craig McDean, <em>Vogue,</em> August 2014</cite>

Emma Stone

Photographed by Craig McDean, Vogue, August 2014
<h1 class="title">SZA, 2014</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of SZA</cite>

SZA, 2014

Photo: Courtesy of SZA
<h1 class="title">Amy Adams</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, <em>Vogue</em>, December 2014</cite>

Amy Adams

Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, December 2014
<h1 class="title">Ellie Bamber</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Drew Vickers, <em>Vogue</em>, November 2016</cite>

Ellie Bamber

Photographed by Drew Vickers, Vogue, November 2016

From Alexander Wang to Miu Miu, flame hair dominated the runways this past season and now it's permeating the big screen, too.

In director Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria, a remake of the 1977 horror classic premiering at the Venice Film Festival today, Dakota Johnson plays an ingénue at a prestigious dance company in Berlin, navigating its sinister undercurrents with a cascade of Pre-Raphaelite red lengths. And while the much-hyped film is sure to thrust the shade back into the zeitgeist as the hair color for fall—the head-turning hue has left its stamp on pop culture throughout history.

As the rarest of the natural hair tones, red is effortlessly eye-catching, its varied shades reminiscent of glowing embers, exposed brick, or a finely aged glass of Bordeaux. And the personalities famous for their fiery manes are equally memorable. Lucille Ball’s ginger curls framed her expressive face to lively effect, while Rita Hayworth’s fluffy, burnt orange waves fell over her shoulders in a hypnotically sensual fashion that made her character Gilda the stuff of legend.

In Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts’ hair serves as a charming metaphor: Her girl-next-door alter ego is exposed only when she reveals her tumble of real-life auburn curls from beneath a blunt-cut platinum wig. Offering up a different emotional subtext, Claire Danes’s burgundy box dye-job marks her shift from adolescent to angst-ridden teenager in My So-Called Life. And in La La Land, Emma Stone proves that a pristine alabaster complexion and a vivid red hue are a recipe for a standout performance in more ways than one.

From Queen Elizabeth I to Grace Coddington, above are 38 icons who prove red hair is anything but commonplace.

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Watch Kylie Jenner’s 10-Minute Guide to “The More Makeup the Better”—Read More
Digital Detox: How I Took 30 Days Off From My Job, Family, and Cell Phone—Read More
Kim Kardashian West Sparks Controversy by Straightening North West’s Hair on Her Birthday—Read More
Ryan McGinley’s New Photography Show, “Mirror, Mirror,” Is an Empowering Riff on Selfie Culture—Read More

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