Whether you were obsessed with Everybody Loves Raymond or lived for The Middle, Patricia Heaton has played some of TV’s most iconic red-headed moms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the beloved actress traded in her gorgeous red locks for a stunning gray color—and has seriously never looked more radiant. I am irrationally obsessed with this woman’s gray hair; to me, it’s such a cool and confident way to age gracefully. Should my gray grow in as solidly as that, I’ll never pay for dye again.
So, I’m not going to lie—when I was doom scrolling (as one does), I got a little nervous seeing her walking into a salon. But luckily, it doesn’t appear that Heaton is ditching her stunning gray crown, but rather getting it adjusted.
Heaton sought out the help of Robert Ramos, an Emmy-nominated stylist in L.A., to get the perfect new cut.
“I grew out my gray during the pandemic, which I love,” explained Heaton during her consultation. “I love just letting it grow because I’m lazy. But it’s starting to just feel kind of dragging—like it’s dragging down. And because I’m a little bit older—I know, you couldn’t tell—no, it thins out a little bit. So I feel like it’s all pulling and feeling kind of stringy. I’m just ready for a refresh.”
Ramos then suggested going to the collarbone for length to help the hair feel thicker without squaring out her jawline or cutting too harsh an angle.
Fans, like myself, were very invested in the change and begged Heaton for a reveal pic—to which she promised “Sunday.”
Heaton has been experimenting with her length for a while. In the early days of Everybody Loves Raymond, she approached “Karen” status with a short look, and it eventually grew out over time. In her personal life, the actress has been known to randomly cut her own hair—like in 2023, when she decided to give herself bangs.
No matter what she has done, or will do, one thing is certain: she constantly radiates beauty and grace, something she attributes to “love, faith and a good moisturizer!”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.