Celebs Who Are Nearly Unrecognizable With Their Natural Hair Color

With access to some of the greatest hairstylists and colorists on the planet, you might expect celebrities to be constantly reinventing themselves — and to be sure, some, like "Titanic" star Kate Winslet, are absolute chameleons. But on the flip side, many of our favorite stars also get entrenched in signature looks, cuts, and hair colors. In fact, some A-listers are so familiar with their usual 'dos that they seem almost unrecognizable otherwise. It's like a fact of life: The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Angelina Jolie's hair is brown. Isn't it?

Prepare to have your mind blown because what if we told you that some well-known celebs are famously — or even infamously — tied to hair colors that aren't theirs? From Reese Witherspoon's not-so-blond locks to Kristen Stewart's surprisingly sandy tresses, some stars look totally different with their natural hair hues.

Of all the powerful actors with blond hair in Hollywood, Reese Witherspoon has to be one of the most iconic. Her "Legally Blonde" character, Elle Woods, is not only a pillar of corporate girly style whose looks we love to recreate but also a direct critique of the "dumb blond" stereotype. This makes it all the more shocking to discover that Witherspoon's natural hair color is much closer to light brown, as shown in her pubescent headshots from the early '90s. In retrospect, the clues were there — Witherspoon's roots and brows hint at a moodier shade lurking beneath those buttery highlights. And to no one's surprise, she looks fabulous in both hues.

Jennifer Aniston's sandy hair is so influential that she inspired a salon-requested hairstyle trend: "The Rachel," named after her role as Rachel Green on the classic sitcom "Friends." So, it's no exaggeration to say that her ash-blond locks are recognizable. However, photos of Aniston attending a pool party in 1990 reveal her real hair color, which is much darker than the shade we're used to seeing from the star. Apparently, it's not just brown, but a deep, cocoa brunette. Consider us corrected — Jennifer Aniston's stunning hair transformation has come even further than we thought!

Though it may come as news to English-speaking audiences who discovered Shakira through her 2001 album "Laundry Service," the Colombian singer already had a well-established career in the 1990s, putting out four albums in Spanish before breaking into the English-language market and hitting the global stage. Shakira's look also transformed with the millennium, embracing the blond waves that have characterized her time as a worldwide pop sensation. Before that, she'd stuck closer to her naturally dark hair, including during a 1998 visit to the White House. Looking back, Shakira's brunette years were a remarkable (but still gorgeous!) contrast to the blond bombshell we know and love today.

Many of the celebs on this list have abandoned their natural hair color for golden locks, perhaps chasing the old adage that blonds have more fun. One notable exception is Angelina Jolie. Despite rocking rich, brunette hair for most of her career — a look that's always complemented her dark and mysterious image — Jolie was actually born with blond tresses. This lighter hair is visible in one childhood photo that the "Salt" actor shared on Instagram, but good luck finding many other photos of tow-headed Jolie. Apparently, Jolie's mother started dying the "Maleficent" actor's hair brown at the tender age of 4 and never looked back. Maybe this hair color is just one of the best style secrets we can learn from Angelina Jolie.

"Modern Family" star Sofía Vergara doesn't always stick to one signature hair color, exploring a range of hues from medium brown to dark honey. But while we assumed her brighter looks were a case of well-applied highlights, it's the other way around — Vergara is a natural blond. In fact, she only started dying her hair a deeper shade because casting directors didn't respond well to her natural hair, as it didn't fit with their visual expectations of a Latina woman. We hate that she felt the need to change herself for Hollywood — inherently stunning, Sofia Vergara is even flawless without makeup — but now that she has an established career, Vergara has more leeway to branch out in her hairstyling, including golden shades closer to her natural look.

As Bella Swan, the main character of the "Twilight" films, Kristen Stewart always sported dark-brown hair. And while Kristen Stewart's had a stunning hair transformation over the years, we've still usually seen her with brunette locks — or, occasionally, platinum blond. But before she was embroiled in this famous vampire-werewolf love triangle, Stewart rocked her naturally sandy hair for other roles, such as when acting in and promoting the 2002 thriller "Panic Room." It's hard to believe that this blond and unassuming youngster is the same edgy fashionista we see on red carpets today!

Now, if you're interested in even more color changes, check out the celebrities who proudly show off their gray hair.