In an industry notorious for dismissing women of a certain age until very recently, Julia Roberts, 58, proves that years have little relevance when it comes to public appeal. After Roberts appeared at the Venice Film Festival in August to promote psychological thriller After the Hunt, the internet lit up with content about how her fiery hair was its best shade ever, how phenomenally timeless she looked, how she was the first to wear Versace designer Dario Vitale on the red carpet. Further proof of her red-hot relevance: Analysts attribute the fact that Lâncome is the fourth-largest prestige beauty brand in the U.S. in part to its roster of bankable, intergenerational spokespeople, including Isabella Rossellini, Olivia Rodrigo — and Roberts, a face of the brand since 2009. As for her signature tresses, Roberts gives credit to her longtime hairstylist, Serge Normant: “Serge is so gifted and can do absolutely anything with hair, so, lucky for me, there is no need to go elsewhere for anything. At this point, we are more of a family than co-workers.” Adds Normant of first meeting Roberts on a Herb Ritts shoot in 1992: “Our connection was instant. Over the years, that bond has only deepened into the most amazing friendship. There’s a lot of trust between us, which makes creativity easy and fun.”
After her After the Hunt red carpet appearance at the Venice Film Festival, Julia Roberts (and her hairstyle and color) lit up the internet.
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THE PROS Hairstylist Serge Normant, makeup artist Genevieve Herr, hair colorist Kadi Lee
HOW THE LOOK CAME TOGETHER Says Lee of Roberts’ vivid Venice hair color, “The world hadn’t seen her in a bit, so we definitely amped up her color for that carpet.” Lee mixed darker auburn and vibrant copper with tipped-out ends, “so they could get movement,” and the wind outside the Palazzo del Cinema cooperated: “Her hair was blowing, and she looked so elegant in the navy dress with the red hair — she knocked it out of the park.” For makeup, Herr “gave her a bit more glam [than usual]. Her eyes were defined, the lip color was perfect for the gown’s color, and I gave her extra blush.”