Drew Starkey’s hair has played a big part in his rising career. On Netflix’s Outer Banks, his character Rafe changed from a floppy-haired troublemaker to a buzzcut villain in season three. That transformation likely helped him land a steamy role in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer.
During awards season, Starkey revealed another bold change—this time as an anti-heartthrob. At W magazine’s Golden Globes party, he appeared nearly unrecognizable with peroxide-blond hair shaved on the sides and bleached eyebrows. Fans were shocked. Even his hairstylist Melissa DeZarate, whom he met during a GQ photoshoot, reacted with surprise on Instagram, asking, “Drew, where the f*ck did your eyebrows go?”
The answer? It’s for a role. Starkey is filming the A24 action-thriller Onslaught, alongside Dan Stevens and Adria Arjona. He reportedly plays a villain. While he kept the look hidden during filming, press events revealed the dramatic change, including the stark eyebrows.
DeZarate explained, “Everyone was like, ‘What the f*ck happened to Drew?’ And I’m like, ‘It’s a movie, guys.’ For the public, it’s shocking when you’re used to seeing Rafe and then you get ‘serial-killer Drew.’”
Starkey even texted his hairstylist a selfie the day before the party, joking, “Just to forget you.” DeZarate laughed, saying, “We’ve all been cracking up about it.” She added, “At least in Outer Banks he looks like a normie. This time, you really do look like a villain.”
Fans reacted strongly online, tagging DeZarate for answers. She said, “You can’t really mess that boy up—except with bleached eyebrows, according to the fans.” She noted how easily bleach can transform someone’s look. While she offered to tint his brows, she thought the bold style was cool and fashion-forward. Bleached brows have been popular in editorials, after all.
Just days later, Starkey appeared at the 2025 National Board of Review Gala looking more like himself. His blond hair was trimmed, and his eyebrows were tinted back to a reddish-blond shade to cover dark roots. DeZarate explained, “I colored them in with makeup so he could feel like himself. When you see yourself with bleached brows and white hair, you can feel washed out.”
For now, Starkey is enjoying the new look. DeZarate recommended hair masks and said they’re planning his next haircut. They’re even considering a new hair color. “Eventually, he’ll have to shave it off,” she said. “This is the time to play.”
For a celebrity stylist, such changes are normal. DeZarate said, “I’m used to clients looking like a completely different person and me being like, ‘Oh, OK, where’d your hair go?’” Fans should expect more transformations ahead.“She has to play different roles,” DeZarate added. “It’s literally his job.”
