Charlize Theron turned heads at the Beijing premiere of The Odyssey on July 30, 2026, debuting a fresh short hairstyle with bangs.
The two-tone blonde look was crafted by her longtime hairstylist Adir Abergel.
The Oscar-winning actress plays Calypso in Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation.
During the promotional tour in China, she wore three couture outfits, including a black-and-white Givenchy Fall 2026 lace gown, a custom Louis Vuitton fringed dress, and a white Lanvin ensemble.
Abergel used mousse, leave-in conditioner, and serum from Virtue Labs to achieve a gritty texture.
Makeup department head Luisa Abel designed a weathered, outdoor appearance to reflect the warrior nature of the character.
A Major Box Office Debut
The film recorded a major commercial debut, generating $264.1 million in global ticket sales during its opening weekend.
That included $124.5 million from theaters in the United States and Canada.
Nolan's adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek poem follows the perilous journey of the Greek hero Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War.
The feature marks Nolan's first release since 2023's Oppenheimer, which won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Theron shared her appreciation for Abergel's stripped-back approach, noting that it prevents hairstyles from looking overly complicated or rigid.
"The thing I love about him as a hairdresser is that sometimes we overthink it with our hair, and when our hair is overdone, you see it.
His philosophy is not to do so much to it," she said.
Abergel emphasized the history behind their collaborations, saying, "Theron's pixie cuts have been iconic.
We have loved creating so many reinvented versions of the short cut—each has had its own moment."
He works with hair colorist Tracey Cunningham to maintain Theron's blonde shade.
Theron also recalled an unenthusiastic reaction from her children to a haircut for a prior film role.
"I was in my bathroom and I was getting it cut and it had been already colored, and I just remember looking over and they both came into the room really excited, and then they just both froze," she said.
One of her kids started crying.
To ease the situation, she explained to her daughter, "We all get to be who we want to be, and right now, mom wants to wear a mullet.
I don't tell you what to do with your hair."
Despite her preference for casual attire like jeans and t-shirts, Theron noted her daughters often encourage her to wear a dress for school events.
"When I go to school functions, my daughter's always like, 'Mom, can you please wear a dress?'" she said.
