Joey King's Latest Hair Transformation Makes Her Almost Unrecognizable

Researchers weren't kidding when they said that one hair color in particular can transform your life. We can't say for sure if Joey King's entire life has changed, but swapping her brunette locks for vibrant red has given her a whole new look, and we're obsessed. "The Kissing Booth" actor shared a selfie on Instagram in all her red-haired glory on July 11, 2025, and judging by the nearly 200,000 likes, fans were just as smitten.

We've followed Joey King's stunning style transformation from her child actor days to now, and while blond and brunette Joeys have each been alluring in their own ways, none of those shades has been as bold, dramatic, or animated as this new copper. Since the debut of the red hair, she's styled her locks in waves and curls, and there have been zero misses.

@joeyking / Instagram

This new color has shifted her aesthetic from "girl-next-door" to the sultry redhead everyone wants to be, but there's more to the change than looks. King captioned the July 11 post, "There's a little witch in all of us," which also confirmed she'd been cast in "Practical Magic 2." There's no official word on her role yet, but judging by the shade of her hair and the second image she shared, we're certain she's either Sally or Gillian Owens' daughter.

Bleaching or dyeing one's hair may seem like a big ask to most people, but not Joey King. In 2024, she told Allure as much: "If the right thing comes along, there's really not much I wouldn't do [to my hair]. It's this absolute fulfillment that comes from doing something you're so proud of." Clearly, no lies were spoken, because there's hardly a hair transformation she hasn't tried.

In 2019, King shaved her head to play Gypsy Rose Blanchard in the series "The Act." Gypsy, a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, had her hair shaved by her mother, so King chose to do the same for authenticity rather than wear a bald cap. She also wore a wig for the entirety of "The Kissing Booth 2" through to the end of the third film in the franchise. "It was covered by a wig, and that was fine. But the last scene, our director was like, 'What if we just did your real hair?' So we did," she explained.

King has even gone red before. In 2022, she starred in "The Princess," a film about a princess who goes to war with the man she refused to marry in order to save her kingdom. The vision was to make her hair a defining part of her character, so she wore three-foot-long red extensions that were a pain to manage, but looked incredible on screen and in the Instagram image she shared.

Joey King is one of the child stars who grew up to be gorgeous. She began her acting career in 2006 with a role in "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody." At the time, she was an adorable child with blond hair. By 2010, the blond was gone, but the cuteness remained. And judging by her age, we're certain the darkening of her hair was natural, rather than a dye job. In 2012, she went bald for "The Dark Knight Rises." It was the first time she shaved her head for a role, but she'd do it again in 2014 for "Wish I Was Here" and in 2019 for "The Act."

After "The Act," King entered her short-hair era. She rocked an edgy pixie that suited her soft facial features while she grew her hair out. Between this period and 2025, the actor experimented with a lot of short and mid-length styles, which gave her different looks. But none, not even the dramatic red extensions, have been as vivacious and perfectly suited to her as her current ginger shade for "Practical Magic 2." From the length, to the cut, to the shade, and the way it catches light, it was definitely a pro job. It's a 10 out of 10 from us.