Lily James’ Beauty Evolution Includes Many Dramatic Hair Color Changes

Antony Jones/BFC/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images Beauty The actress was a beauty chameleon far before her transformation for Hulu’s Pam & Tommy. by Sam Neibart Dec. 20, 2021

Lily James has been showing out on the small and big screens for nearly a decade. She’s been Lady Rose in Downton Abbey , princess Cinderella, an action movie love interest in Baby Driver , and played a young Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again , proving she can do it all. James has been able to get completely enveloped in her roles, which often involved changing her hair color dramatically — and more than once in a single year. While she’s perhaps best known for embodying iconic blondes, she looks equally great in all shades of brunette. Her next act of transformation will be into Pamela Anderson in the forthcoming Pam & Tommy series on Hulu . But first, see Lily James’ own best hair and makeup looks throughout the years.

Dave J Hogan/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images 2012 In her early days on the red carpet, James sported her warm-toned brown hair in a simple side part with waves.

Dave J Hogan/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images 2013 The next year, James kept a similar auburn brunette shade and added a blunt fringe.

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty Images 2013 For the British Academy Film Awards in 2013, James wore her espresso brown hair in a sweet bouffant.

David M. Benett/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images 2014 James is perhaps best known as a honey blonde. At the 2014 Glamour Woman of the Year Awards, James showed off the lightened shade with a subtle smokey eye and peach lips.

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images 2015 James makes a very natural Cinderella for the 2015 film. To the Cinderella world premiere, she wore her blonde hair in a modernized princess chignon with cat eyeliner and pink lips.

David M. Benett/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images 2015 Later in the same year, James’ hair was already dyed back to a dark mahogany brown.

John Shearer/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images 2016 By the 2016 Golden Globes, James’ hair was once again lifted, this time a light strawberry blonde shade. Her hair looks cool, but sophisticated in center-parted waves paired with soft bronze eye makeup.

Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Getty Images 2017 In 2017, James took on edgy glam with near black hair and smudgy charcoal eyeshadow and liner for the 2017 Met Gala honoring Comme des Garçons and its founder, Rei Kawakubo.

Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images 2018 James embodied the Grecian island goddess spirit with flowing sun-kissed blonde hair and naturally glowy makeup for the premiere of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again .

David M. Benett/WireImage/Getty Images 2019 James has stayed within the blonde range ever since. She seems to have solidified her style including low lighted honey blonde tresses with groomed brows and subtly enhancing makeup.

Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images 2019 For the 2019 Fashion Awards, James’ hair was cut into a breezy lob with a dark rooter and balayage highlighted ends.

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