Julianne Moore reveals why she sometimes wants to be a "tanned blonde" rather than a redhead

In a new interview pegged to the release of her new film When You Finish Saving the World, scheduled to be released on January 20, Julianne Moore opened up about what it has been like to be a ginger in the film industry. 

Julianne, who recently revealed the beauty routine she swears by, spoke to The Times about the topic, addressing the sorts of beauty standards that folks in Hollywood tend to abide by and how she’s been able to navigate that world throughout her decades-long career.

"My red hair made me feel like an outsider growing up," the 61-year-old actress said matter-of-factly. "Redheads are 2% of the global population. Nobody wants to feel like they’re in the minority, particularly as a young child."

Things, of course, changed as she became older and started establishing herself in the industry. 

"Now I feel very identified with my hair and freckles, but there’s still a part of me that would rather be a tanned blonde," she noted honestly.

The mother-of-two also pointed out that casting agents and Hollywood gatekeepers haven't always been kind to her appearance. 

"Someone in the film industry said to me, 'You should try to look prettier.' I was like, 'I don’t know if I can,'" said Julianne. "Obviously, ours is a business where there is some physicality involved, but beauty and prettiness are subjective."

This is not the first time that Julianne has used her celebrity to speak up about important topics. Last year, she was seen in an outfit that had all her fans wonder about the meaning behind an orange shirt. 

In the summer of 2021, the actress posted a video on Instagram wearing the garment with the words "end gun violence" written on it. The slogan was a simple one but the specific color of the shirt had a very deep meaning connected to the cause. 

In fact, 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton became a victim of gun violence in Chicago, just  a week after performing at President Barack Obama's second inauguration parade. After her death, Hadiya's friends and family wore orange in her memory. It has since become the defining color of the gun violence prevention movement.

On a professional level, Julianne is gearing up for the release of When You Finish Saving the World, which is actually actor Jesse Eiseberg's feature directorial debut based on his own eponymous 2020 audio drama. 

In the movie, Julianne is Evelyn Katz, a mother who runs a shelter for survivors of domestic abuse all the while raising her teenage son Ziggy, played by the always-wonderful Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame.

Julianne will also star in psychological thriller Sharper some time this year alongside Sebastian Stan, John Lithgow and Justice Smith before taking on the part of one Gracie Atherton-Yoo in a new romantic drama directed by Todd Haynes and also starring Natalie Portman called May December.