Blondes have more fun. Gentlemen prefer blondes. Dumb blonde. There are a whole lot of sexist stereotypes around this hair color — and Amy Adams, a natural blonde, felt them. At a Times Talk on Wednesday, the actress credited her now-signature red hair, which she initially dyed for a role, with
changing her career trajectory in a positive way. "The minute I went red, it was like, 'quirky' instead of flirtatious and dumb," Adams says of the roles she was offered. Though the word 'quirky' is increasingly loaded — the label is gendered, and often parallels the reductive "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" stereotype — it seems applicable here. Adams has had a quirky career. She's played a princess, a nun, Lois Lane, and Amelia Earhart, among others. She's become known for her masterful portrayals of mercurial women, which is why she's got a couple of Golden Globes on her mantle (and a few Oscar noms to boot.) Of course, Adams doesn't fully credit her hair color with her stardom, but it was certainly a factor: "In all seriousness, it’s just hair color. It was really fascinating to see just one element of yourself change people’s perception and that became a very powerful tool for me, even in my acting." While we're glad that Adams has had so much success and loves her hair, it's unfortunate that it took a bottle of dye to change the way casting agents saw her. We can't believe we have to say it, but no one's worth, talent, or intelligence is tied to their appearance, and we're just waiting for the day everyone recognizes that. Below, find the full Times Talk with Adams.
changing her career trajectory in a positive way. "The minute I went red, it was like, 'quirky' instead of flirtatious and dumb," Adams says of the roles she was offered. Though the word 'quirky' is increasingly loaded — the label is gendered, and often parallels the reductive "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" stereotype — it seems applicable here. Adams has had a quirky career. She's played a princess, a nun, Lois Lane, and Amelia Earhart, among others. She's become known for her masterful portrayals of mercurial women, which is why she's got a couple of Golden Globes on her mantle (and a few Oscar noms to boot.) Of course, Adams doesn't fully credit her hair color with her stardom, but it was certainly a factor: "In all seriousness, it’s just hair color. It was really fascinating to see just one element of yourself change people’s perception and that became a very powerful tool for me, even in my acting." While we're glad that Adams has had so much success and loves her hair, it's unfortunate that it took a bottle of dye to change the way casting agents saw her. We can't believe we have to say it, but no one's worth, talent, or intelligence is tied to their appearance, and we're just waiting for the day everyone recognizes that. Below, find the full Times Talk with Adams.