People have commented on Jude Law’s hairline throughout his career. How to deal with hair loss can be important for actors, who rely on their image to secure TV and movie roles.
As fans, we often wonder whether actors like Law are using wigs and hair systems on-screen. Sometimes we also question whether they’ve had hair transplants.
Law has dealt with his Male Pattern Baldness in different ways throughout his career. Here’s a look at his receding hairline over the years and where his hair loss is in 2022.
Is Jude Law Bald?
Jude Law isn’t fully bald but definitely has significant Male Pattern Baldness. The condition mainly affects his hairline which has receded considerably. His hair has gradually disappeared from around his temples, leaving his frontal forelock more or less intact in a V-shaped hairline.
Law had wavy blonde hair in his early 20s which added to his image as a clean-cut, handsome English gentleman. It helped him secure roles in movies like 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley.
In the movie, where he starred alongside Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow, Law’s hairline was already relatively high. However, this became more obvious in the 2000s as his Male Pattern Baldness progressed.
When did Jude Law start going bald?
Law’s hairline was always relatively high, but when he starred in The Talented Mr. Ripley in 1999 he showed early signs of receding. Law was 26 when the movie was filmed, but was already developing a V-shaped hairline as his hair receded at the temples.
Lots of men in their mid-20s start to lose their hair. During filming, Law was already at stage two on the Norwood scale:
(More Norwood 2 examples)
Despite his relatively early hair loss, Law was famous for his gorgeous locks. In movies like The Holiday his wavy style complemented his natural good looks. This made him a natural for the RomCom genre.
By the early 2010s, the actor’s receding hairline had progressed to around a Norwood 3. The baldness around his temples was very obvious in movies like Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Playing Dr. Watson alongside Robert Downey Jr. showed that thankfully, Law’s receding hairline hadn’t affected his ability to secure roles in Hollywood blockbusters.
How long did it take for Jude Law to go bald?
After Jude Law’s Male Pattern Baldness started to show around 1999, it wasn’t until he starred in Spy in 2015 that filmmakers took steps to alter his hairline. Although still not completely bald, Law was fitted with a partial hair system, 16 years after first showing signs of balding.
Deciding when to shave a balding head is a big decision for any man. Law has resisted the temptation for most of his career. His receding hairline hasn’t come with a bald spot at the crown and his scalp isn’t visible through his hair. This means he may never go fully bald.
Law did briefly buzz his hair down to a closely cropped style in 2012. This indicated he was acutely aware of his hair loss and comfortable with the look.
However, the experiment didn’t last. With his frontal forelock still relatively intact, the Englishman has since grown his hair back. This is despite his temples receding to a severe V-shape.
Has Jude Law had a hair transplant?
Some speculated that Law had chosen to have a hair transplant when his hairline noticeably changed in 2015’s Spy. However, the improvement in Law’s hair loss was created by using a partial hair system to cover some of the balding at his temples.
Playing a James Bond-style character, Law’s hair loss seemed to have been reversed. His hairline was at least one stage down the Norwood Scale in the movie. However, subsequent public appearances showed that Law was still happy to be seen with his now famous V-shaped hair.
Other celebrities, however, are under more scrutiny having gone through changes in their hairline. There have been strong rumors that David Beckham had a hair transplant around 2018.
But while it’s not unheard of for those in the spotlight to protect their image with a transplant, Law’s receding hairline suggests he’s avoided the temptation for now.
Jude Law’s hair loss: before and after
Before is a set of photos of Jude Law’s hairline before and after his receding hairline became visible. You can see how his frontal forelock is still in place:
Thinning hair is to be expected for a man who turns 50 in December 2022. However, Law’s temples have receded to around stage 3-4 on the Norwood scale.
Where is Jude Law on the Norwood scale?
Jude Law’s hair has now receded to around a stage 3-4 on the Norwood scale. This is characterized by a hairline that has receded at the temples (typical stage 4), although Law’s frontal forelock is still in place which would be more characteristic of stage 3.
Most people whose temples recede as severely as Law’s also experience thinning on top and loss of the frontal forelock. Law’s is still in place but he hasn’t yet reached the full stage 4 on the Norwood scale.
Summary
Jude Law’s self-confidence should inspire every man who is experiencing Male Pattern Baldness. Whatever his feelings about his receding hairline, Law always carries himself as if he’s completely comfortable in his own skin.
Granted, the English actor is an extremely handsome man. He doesn’t have to worry about whether his baldness makes him unattractive to women.
His hairline has never revealed a weirdly-shaped head or an uneven skin tone on his scalp. Even his baldness itself isn’t unflattering. He still looks great with a short buzz-cut, or with longer hair. He’s even been a model example of how bald men should wear hats!
Many actors struggle with hair loss, given the importance of their image. Some use hats and hairpieces to navigate hair loss throughout their career, such as Joe Pesci. Of course, there are plenty of opportunities for the likes of Sir Ben Kingsley and Jason Statham to play bald movie characters.
But if there’s anything to learn from Jude Law’s journey through baldness, it’s that losing your hair isn’t a disaster. Embracing your hair loss is the best way to show that you’re comfortable with who you are.
Whether you keep your balding hair or shave it off, your decision should be based on confidence. Never take (or avoid) action out of denial or embarrassment.
