Brie Larson has embraced a bold new look, and it’s all part of her preparation for an exciting role.
The 35-year-old actress unveiled her freshly shaved head in an Instagram post on Saturday, February 1.
“The most special and energizing time,” Larson captioned the post, referencing her work on the West End play Elektra. “Made this video to give a taste of what the last few months have been for me as we prepare for our West End debut.
I have never been in rigorous rehearsal process, and the play we created is wholly unique. Working with this incredible team of cast and creatives has changed my life! We built this show together and love performing. We are a lucky bunch!”
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The video featured moments from rehearsal, showing Larson on stage with her newly shaved head. She also spoke directly to the camera, explaining that she created the video “as a way to get inside ‘Elektra’ the play.”
“Just to look at the rehearsal space,” she said. “Just to kind of get a vibe of how we’ve had to build this show from the ground up.”
Larson also emphasized that the team is committed to staying true to the play’s original themes, as it is based on the Greek myth of Electra.
“These plays didn’t have specific locations and sets,” she explained. “We’re kind of honoring that in our own way by doing it in an empty theatre along with some other contemporary items like a blimp.”
This marks the second major hair transformation Larson has undergone since beginning work on the play. In November, she debuted a pixie cut in an Instagram post—a significant departure from her previous long, blonde hairstyle.
Brie Larson Opens Up About Elektra
In interview published on January 31, Larson shared her insights on playing the complex role of Electra.
“It’s amazing how often she says the word ‘no’,” she said. “I sometimes don’t think she even knows why she is saying no. But it’s the most repetitive and enduring part of her. She’s just like: No!”
Directed by Tony-nominated Danish Fish, Elektra is based on Anne Carson’s translation of Sophocles’ classic Greek tragedy. Larson portrays Electra, a woman consumed by fury toward her mother, Clytemnestra, for killing her father, Agamemnon.
“She is basically inconsolable, unwilling to see the good,” Larson told the outlet. “But that’s partly what makes playing her such a profound experience. There is no part in the play where you have to set up a way for the audience to like her.
The play is not trying to explain itself. It’s just – this is the text, this is how I feel, and I want you to hear how I feel. And she refuses to apologise for that. You don’t tend to see female characters who do that anymore.”
Elektra premiered in London’s West End on January 24 and will run until April 12.
