Taraji P. Henson Rocks New Orange Pixie Cut – Essence

A new cut and color can turn you into the most unexpected character. This week, actress Taraji P. Henson proved just that, channeling her latest role as business woman and mistress “Vivian Thomas” with an asymmetrical orange pixie cut at the premiere of Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist in New York.

Her hairdo––next to a flipped ‘70s blowout on Terrence Howard––featured short, natural-toned sides and back, maintaining the shape of her normal cut (see: her look on the Tonight Show). However, self-proclaimed “hair minister” and hairstylist Tym Wallace dragged an impulsive bright orange through the lengths of her hair, adding an experimental “just dyed in the bathroom sink” style to the look.

“If you can’t show women how to be strong and have a voice, how will they know,” Henson told ESSENCE on the black carpet. And, her punk hairdo speaks volumes, just as her message says. Soaked in hair grease like Heath Ledger in The Joker, strands of hair crash into each other as they hang into her face. 

To pair with the look, makeup artist Saisha Beecham went with more innocent light pink tones on her cheeks and lips to counteract the badassery she had going on, which also translated onto her pale stiletto nails (à la Temeka Jackson.) Now, in a full-fledged Vivian Thomas moment, we get an inside look on what to expect from Henson from now on––the unexpected.