Actor James Norton surprised fans on Monday when he debuted a shock new hair transformation.
Taking to his Instagram Stories, the Happy Valley star uploaded a beaming selfie giving centre stage to his bristling buzz cut. While the actor has long sported a headful of brunette curls, James switched things up at the start of this month with a cropped hairdo.
© InstagramIn his caption, he wrote: "The response to Playing Nice has been insane and wonderful. Thank you."
Addressing his new 'do, he continued: "Also I shaved my head."
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockJames's fans were quick to share their thoughts on social media, with one writing; "You are rocking with the new hairstyle," while a second gushed: "James, hair looks hot as hell hello."
This isn't the first time James has switched up his look in recent months. The actor has been known to make tweaks to his appearance for acting roles. Back in October, the 39-year-old unveiled a mop of jet-black curls as he attended a special screening of his new film, Joy.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockFor the special occasion, the TV star donned a pair of dark baggy jeans and a navy knitted jumper. He was joined by his co-stars Thomasin Harcourt, who looked gorgeous in a sequin-studded black minidress and matching denim jacket, and Charlotte Colbert, who oozed elegance in a tweed jacket and oversized sunglasses.
James' latest project
James has starred in a new ITV thriller called Playing Nice. The gripping show follows two couples who discover that their toddlers were swapped at birth in hospital.
Chatting with HELLO! about his performance, James described his character as a "Cornish, every man" and felt compelled to pierce his ear to get into character. "It's funny that the small decisions you make feel very significant, like getting my ear pierced. So I got my ear pierced for the job," explained James.
"I had my ear pierced up here when I was 18 and thought Pete has to have a piercing. It feels immediately obvious that he's got this little, crappy piece of silver. As soon as I did that, it was a tiny and yet really huge, significant step.
© ITV"It's like when you put on a pair of shoes as a character, and you suddenly find yourself walking in a different way," he continued.
"Lots of actors start rehearsals for plays in shoes they're going to wear because they feel like the physicality is very dependent on shoes. For me, the earring was very much part of it, it kind of grew this man."
