Actors With Long Hair: 20 Hollywood Styles Worth Growing Out

Long hair on men has never gone out of style in Hollywood, and I’ve helped dozens of clients grow out their hair specifically because of an actor they saw on screen. These 20 actors prove that flowing locks work across every face shape, hair type, and age bracket.

Whether you’re looking for growing inspiration or want a specific reference photo to bring to your barber, this guide covers the best long-haired actors from Brad Pitt’s 90s legend status to Timothée Chalamet’s modern layers.

Which Face Shape Works Best for Long Hair

One of the biggest concerns I hear from clients thinking about growing their hair out is whether it will actually suit them. The honest answer: long hair can work on every face shape, but certain lengths and styles flatter specific shapes better than others.

Oval faces have the easiest time with long hair. Virtually any length and style works—from Keanu Reeves’ chin-length layers to Jason Momoa’s chest-length waves. If you have an oval face, consider yourself lucky and grow with confidence.

Square and rectangular faces benefit from softer, layered long styles that break up the angular jawline. Brad Pitt’s Legends of the Fall waves are the perfect template. Avoid blunt, one-length cuts that emphasize the boxiness—ask for face-framing layers instead.

Round faces need length to create the illusion of elongation. Shoulder-length or longer styles like Chris Hemsworth’s Thor hair add vertical dimension. Keep volume on top rather than the sides, and avoid chin-length cuts that accentuate width. A center part works especially well here.

Heart-shaped faces should aim for chin-to-shoulder length with volume at the jawline to balance a wider forehead. Johnny Depp’s bohemian layers are an excellent reference—the tousled texture at jaw level creates visual balance without looking forced.

Why Actors Choose Long Hair

Long hair offers actors transformative versatility that short cuts simply can’t match. It can be styled up for red carpets, left natural for casual appearances, or dramatically altered for roles. The commitment to growing demonstrates dedication, while the maintenance shows attention to detail that casting directors appreciate.

How Long Hair Transforms Movie Roles

Period pieces, fantasy epics, and character dramas often require authentic length that can’t be faked with extensions. Long hair instantly establishes time period, social status, or rebellious nature. Directors know that an actor willing to grow their hair for months shows commitment to the craft.

Brad Pitt – Hollywood’s Long Hair Icon

Pitt’s shoulder-length waves in Legends of the Fall defined 90s masculinity. His golden locks required 14 months of growth and daily conditioning. The natural wave pattern was enhanced with sea salt spray for that effortless movement.

Source: @bradpitt Via Instagram

Jason Momoa – The Aquaman Flow

Momoa maintains chest-length waves that have become his signature. The style requires deep conditioning treatments twice weekly and protective braiding during action scenes. His natural texture creates volume without heavy products.

Jared Leto – Rock Star Length

Leto’s mid-back ombré represents the ultimate commitment—three years of growth. He uses professional keratin treatments monthly and sleeps on silk pillowcases. The graduated color adds dimension to the extreme length.

Chris Hemsworth – Thor’s Legendary Locks

Hemsworth’s shoulder-length waves defined the modern Viking aesthetic. Achieved through growing for 12-18 months and using sea salt spray for texture. The key is regular trims to prevent split ends while maintaining length.

Johnny Depp – Bohemian Lengths

Depp rocks collarbone-length layers with natural movement and occasional braids. His tousled texture comes from air-drying and minimal product. The style suits his artistic persona and requires monthly shaping to maintain the layers.

Orlando Bloom – Elven Prince Hair

Bloom’s past-shoulder straight hair for Legolas required extensions and daily straightening. Off-screen, he prefers chin-length waves with natural texture. Both styles need regular deep conditioning to maintain shine.

Keanu Reeves – The Matrix Mane

Reeves rocks chin-length layers with natural movement. His style requires minimal product—just quality shampoo and occasional oil for shine. Works best with naturally straight to wavy hair.

Tom Hiddleston – Loki’s Raven Locks

Hiddleston’s shoulder-length waves as Loki feature perfect glossy black color. The look requires professional coloring every 4-6 weeks and heat-styling for those precise curls. Off-screen, he keeps it shorter and natural.

Charlie Hunnam – Sons of Anarchy Style

Hunnam’s slicked-back shoulder length defined outlaw chic. The style needs pomade for hold and regular trims to prevent stringiness. His natural blonde color adds dimension without highlighting.

Jake Gyllenhaal – Prince of Persia Era

Gyllenhaal grew past-shoulder length for the role, adding extensions for volume. The desert-warrior style required daily braiding and protective styling. Post-filming, he immediately returned to shorter lengths.

Christian Bale – Method Actor Lengths

Bale’s varying lengths for roles show ultimate dedication. From shoulder-length in Pocahontas to chin-length in The Prestige, he commits fully. Each transformation requires months of planning and professional maintenance.

Viggo Mortensen – Aragorn’s Strider Hair

Mortensen’s shoulder-length layers as Aragorn became instantly iconic. The rugged texture came from minimal washing and natural oils. The style requires patience during the awkward growing phase.

Colin Farrell – Irish Rebel Length

Farrell’s past-collar waves in Alexander showcased his commitment. The style needed daily conditioning and protective braiding for fight scenes. His natural dark color added authenticity to the period look.

Russell Crowe – Gladiator Warrior Hair

Crowe’s shoulder-length waves in Gladiator mixed with beard created the ultimate warrior look. The style required minimal product to maintain that battle-ready texture. Extensions added thickness for certain scenes.

Heath Ledger – Knights Tale Locks

Ledger’s golden shoulder length epitomized medieval romance. The natural blonde waves required only light oil for shine. His commitment to growing it naturally added authenticity to the role.

Tom Cruise – Last Samurai Style

Cruise grew past-shoulder length for the samurai epic, adding extensions for volume. The traditional topknot styling required professional assistance daily. The transformation showed his dedication to authenticity.

Ashton Kutcher – Flowing Casual Length

Kutcher’s collar-length waves during his modeling days defined casual cool. The tousled texture came from sea salt spray and air-drying. Regular trims every 6-8 weeks kept the shape while growing.

Matthew McConaughey – Beach Wave Length

McConaughey’s surfer-length waves embody Texas beach culture. The sun-bleached ends and natural texture require minimal styling—just salt spray and finger-combing. The look works best with naturally wavy hair.

Adrian Grenier – Entourage Era Flow

Grenier’s past-shoulder curls defined his Entourage character. The natural texture required curl-defining cream and diffuser drying. His commitment to length lasted throughout the show’s entire run.

Timothée Chalamet – Modern Long Layers

Chalamet’s chin-to-shoulder layers represent Gen-Z’s take on long hair. The piece-y texture comes from point-cutting and texturizing paste. His style proves long hair remains relevant for younger actors.

How To Grow And Style Actor-Length Hair

Start with healthy hair and commit to 12-18 months of growth. Trim every 8-10 weeks to prevent split ends while maintaining length. Use quality shampoo twice weekly and condition daily.

Apply heat protectant before any styling and use silk pillowcases to prevent breakage. For styling, work with your natural texture using appropriate products—sea salt spray for waves, smoothing serum for straight hair, or curl cream for curls. The key is patience during the awkward phase around months 6-9.

FAQs: Actors With Long Hair

Which actor has the best long hair?

While subjective, Brad Pitt’s Legends of the Fall locks remain the gold standard. The combination of natural golden color, perfect wave pattern, and ideal shoulder length created cinema’s most copied long hairstyle.

Jason Momoa currently holds the crown for modern long hair, with his chest-length waves inspiring countless imitators. The key to “best” long hair is healthy maintenance and working with natural texture rather than against it.

How long does it take to grow movie-length hair?

Growing true shoulder-length hair takes 12-18 months from a short cut, as hair grows approximately half an inch monthly. Chest-length requires 2-3 years of dedicated growth.

Many productions use extensions to speed the process, but actors like Christian Bale and Viggo Mortensen prefer natural growth for authenticity. The awkward phase hits around month 6-9, requiring patience and regular shaping trims.

What products do actors use for long hair?

Professional stylists keep actors’ long hair camera-ready with high-end moisturizing shampoos (like Oribe or Kerastase), weekly deep conditioning masks, and heat protectants. For styling, sea salt sprays create natural texture, while smoothing serums control frizz.

Many use overnight oil treatments and silk pillowcases to prevent breakage. The secret is less washing (2-3 times weekly) and more conditioning to maintain shine and health.

Which male actors over 50 still rock long hair?

Several Hollywood actors prove that long hair has no age limit. Keanu Reeves continues wearing his signature chin-length layers well into his 60s, and Johnny Depp maintains bohemian-length hair past 60 as well.

Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell have both returned to longer styles for recent roles. The key for older men growing long hair is investing in quality conditioning treatments, as hair tends to become drier and more brittle with age. I always recommend deep conditioning masks at least weekly for clients over 50 with longer hair.

Can you have long hair with a beard like these actors?

Absolutely—some of the most iconic long-hair looks pair with facial hair. Jason Momoa, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Russell Crowe in Gladiator all combined flowing hair with full beards to create that rugged warrior aesthetic.

The key is making sure both your hair and beard are well-maintained—wild hair with a wild beard just looks unkempt. I tell clients to shape the beard more precisely when wearing longer hair, and keep the beard style proportional to their face. Shorter stubble or a medium beard pairs best with shoulder-length hair, while a full beard works better with chest-length or longer styles.

What is the awkward stage of growing long hair and how do actors handle it?

The awkward stage hits around months 4–8, when hair is too long to style short but too short to tie back or flow naturally. It flips out at the ears and collar, and most guys give up during this phase. Actors handle it by scheduling regular trims that shape the growth direction without removing length—a technique called “growing out maintenance.”

I recommend visiting your barber every 6–8 weeks during this phase to clean up the neckline and sides while keeping every inch of length on top. Headbands, man buns, and texturizing products are your best friends during the awkward months.