In 2005, Keira Knightley’s jagged blonde pixie cut for Domino helped usher in a new kind of red carpet rebellion, one that was unpolished, grown-out, and just edgy enough to spark a short-hair-don’t-care movement. Nearly two decades later, Emma Stone is proving that history doesn’t just repeat itself — it evolves.

At the June premiere of her new film Eddington in Los Angeles on Friday night, Stone stepped onto the red carpet in a disco-inspired off-the-shoulder Louis Vuitton gown, but it was her latest hair update that drew a second look. Styled by longtime collaborator Mara Roszak, Stone’s tousled cut struck a careful balance between polish and ease. Dubbed the “whymsy pixie,” also sometimes referred to as the “bixie,” the look is giving major Y2K energy. Roszak used her own Roz Air Thickening Spray on damp hair, then diffused and finished with a texturizing cream to give Stone’s layers a piecey, lived-in texture, per Allure.

Though technically still a pixie, the “whymsy” version carries more length and softness — marking another milestone in Stone’s hair evolution since she reportedly shaved her head last year for Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming film Bugonia. While rumors of a buzz cut swirled after she was spotted in a beanie and later appeared in wigs at the New York Film Festival, Stone confirmed the transformation at the Golden Globes in January, where she revealed a fresh, cropped silhouette on stage.

Since then, she’s embraced the grow-out process in full view, with each public appearance showcasing a new phase of her return to longer lengths. . It’s the kind of transparency that resonates in an era where TikTok commenters warn against short hair because of the dreaded “awkward phase” — a phase Stone seems intent on glamorizing instead of dodging.

It’s a fitting arc for an actor known for reinvention. After all, Stone’s collaboration with Lanthimos has already yielded one Oscar-winning performance (Poor Things), and another ambitious role in Bugonia is on the way. If her hair transformation is any indication, she’s not just taking bold creative swings. She’s also quietly redefining what hair “growing out” can look like in the spotlight. Each stage feels intentional, even cinematic. That’s perhaps no surprise for someone just as involved behind the camera — via her and husband Dave McCary’s Fruit Tree banner — as she is in front of it.

And if the “whymsy pixie” is the new reference point? Consider the awkward phase officially rebranded.

Before you go, click to see the most dramatic celebrity hair transformations.