Fans of The Boys are reacting strongly to an old costume-fitting image of Antony Starr with his natural hair color, calling the character’s look unrecognizable.
Starr was once best known for roles on shows like Banshee, where he maintained his natural, dark-colored hair and a scruffy beard.
But today, he’s best known as Homelander, the clean-cut, all-American, megalomaniacal supe from The Boys. Amid hype for Season 4, fans are discussing just how much of a physical transformation Starr underwent to play Homelander.
The post, featured on The Boys’ subreddit, shows an old costume-fitting image from before the show premiered. In it, Starr sports his natural dark hair and some beard scruff. It’s a far cry from the slicked-back, bleached blonde, and clean-shaven look the character typically sports.
“That is so weird looking,” Digginf said in their post. “No blonde hair, no clean shave.”
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
“The blonde hair really does add to the overall look, he looks more casual without it,” one fan added, with another pointing out, “He does look like Soldier Boy’s son without it.”
Other comments praise just how well Starr fits the role, with one fan saying, “I am always impressed how casting directors sometimes nail the casting for a certain role, when the actor looks very different from the role he/she is supposed to play. They must have some great imagination.”
Starr, for what it’s worth, relishes just how different he looks outside of the costume. Speaking with Rolling Stone ahead of The Boys Season 4, Starr said, “When I’ve got dark hair, it just slips under the radar 99 percent of the time. And I quite like that. I’m very comfortable if I never get any sort of attention like that.”
New episodes of The Boys Season 4 are released on Thursdays. While you wait, check out our ranking of The Boys seasons and The Boys Season 3’s most shocking moments. You can also learn about new TV shows streaming this year, like The Penguin TV show, or look ahead to Invincible Season 3.