In the midst of a hair rut, Sydney Sweeney and her stylist, Glen Oropeza, took the bob way out.
“Both of us had become a little bored,” Oropeza told WWD, a week after the actress debuted her bold new cut and color at the premiere of her upcoming film, “Christy,” during AFI Fest in Los Angeles. “We needed a cut to take it to the next level and make it feel different.”
Sydney Sweeney debuts a bright blond bob at the 2025 AFI Fest premiere of “Christy” on Oct. 25.
“We also wanted to bring as many eyes as possible to ‘Christy,’” the stylist continued.
Directed by David Michôd, Sweeney’s new movie is based on the life of Christy Martin, a professional fighter from the 1990s who trailblazed the women’s boxing division and fought on the undercard of Mike Tyson several times throughout her career. Martin, played by Sweeney in the film, was also the first female fighter to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. More importantly, her story shines a light on domestic violence through her relationship with her husband and trainer, Jim Martin.
Sydney Sweeney with a straight bob at Variety’s 2025 Power of Women Los Angeles.
Gilbert Flores/Variety
The “Euphoria” star’s bob and fresh blond certainly garnered the level of attention she and Oropeza were hoping to attract at the Oct. 25 premiere and has ramped up in the days that’ve followed. The process to create the style, Oropeza explained, wasn’t an overnight success, though. From extension removal to a preliminary cut and a few rounds of color, the transformation took a total of four days to complete with the help of celebrity colorist Jacob Schwartz.
“We both wanted to do a color that she’s never done before,” Oropeza said of him and Schwartz’s vision. “lf you notice this tone of blond compared to any other blond she’s ever done, it’s very different. It’s a lot more dimensional, but it’s still very bright.”
Sydney Sweeney with mermaid waves in Midtown on Nov. 4.
Sweeney becoming a brunette was out of the question, according to Oropeza, who has collaborated with the “Anyone But You” star for the last four years. However, the actress was toying with the idea of bangs, a familiar choice for those who’ve succumbed to the burgeoning bob trend in Hollywood such as Pamela Anderson, Zoë Kravitz and Ayo Edebiri. But Oropeza vetoed that, too.
“She did want to do bangs with the bob and the blond,” he said. “I just felt like it would be when you do an eye look with a red lip and heavy blush; it’s too much competing with each other. We wanted it to be refined and beautiful and stand out on its own. The bangs would have taken it a step too far.”
On its own, a bob is transformational, Oropeza noted, which is why so many women are leaning on the style now. “I think it’s just a way to kind of start fresh,” he noted. “We hold memories in our hair, and I think part of it is like this new evolution of life. Sweeney’s in that, I think it just suits her at this moment.”
Sydney Sweeney with a side part bob in Midtown on Nov. 5.
That said, Oropeza has ambitious plans for the future of Sweeney’s hair; shades and styles he’d love to experiment with on her. “It’d be fun to see her with like, her bright blue eyes, with dark hair, like Megan Fox dark,” the visionary confessed. He also hopes to redo her redhead era, opting for a deeper, more dynamic hue.
Indeed, he’s keeping within the parameters of her blond bob for now, playing with all the possibilities there. Already, the two have imagined a side part with flipped ends, mermaid waves and soft face-framing curls for dates in Central Park and nights out in Manhattan, as well as appearances at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship and Variety’s 2025 Power of Women event.
