Zendaya has fully embraced Greek Goddess style for the premiere and press tour of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. After stepping away from the bold red-and-blue coordinated looks and the cobweb-inspired Galliano gown from the Spider-Man: Brand New Day promotions, she’s now all about draped and flowing designs: a twisted custom Jacquemus gown with a headdress, and an intricate gold Philip Treacy mask. There have already been some serious archive finds and ultra-fresh off-the-runway outfits. Her beauty choices have followed a similar path, straight to Mount Olympus.
The actor cut her dark brown hair into a bixie last Christmas. It’s a bit longer than a classic pixie cut, with more movement and volume, blending the best of a face-framing bob with the playful energy of a pixie. It works perfectly for Zendaya’s bold, ever-changing red carpet style as well as her more relaxed everyday looks.
This week, she swapped the bixie for waist-length waves in time for the world premiere of The Odyssey in London, matching the drama of her gown: the final look from Schiaparelli’s fall 2026 couture show, featuring a waist shaped like marble sculpture and a fringed skirt. Inside the venue, she kept the long hair and quickly changed into a Valentino fall 2026 dress, complete with a vine-woven bralette and a silky, draped bottom tunic that plunged deeply at the waist. Makeup artist Ernesto Castillas gave her silky skin and a pink-sky blush, adding a silvery inner-corner eye look with fluttering lashes.
Her Athena-inspired hair was styled by celebrity hairstylist Coree Moreno into a textured, Grecian half-up, half-down look with a braided crown. The soft, wispy pieces highlighted Zendaya’s natural caramel highlights.
Zendaya made a quick change into a Valentino fall 2026 gown and kept her hair long—a stark contrast to co-star Charlize Theron’s sleek, side-swept crop.
“The fresh-off-the-runway Schiaparelli was structural and otherworldly, and we wanted to create a raw, stripped-down version of the true mythological references, but make it current,” says Moreno. He leaned into what he calls a “halo of frizz” and an “air-dried undone look.” “That contrast really helps tell the story—how much range a goddess could actually have in showing beauty and style,” he adds.
Moreno used a mix of clip-in and tape-in hair extensions from Bellami to add length and thickness, following the line of her crown and scalp for a naturally seamless look, with three different shades to match her natural color. He used Oribe’s Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray throughout. “I braided the hair and pulled it apart from east to west, then used a low-heat flat iron to set the shape along the length of the braid, letting the texture go wild before placing it into a crown shape,” Moreno explains. “I also added different-sized braids and some rope twists for visual interest.”
Extra-long hair can be a lot of fun, and extensions make it pretty easy. Just ask Hailey Bieber, who swapped her lob for chest-length layers at Bieberchella. But it won’t be long before Zendaya goes back to her bixie. The short style has become quite popular this year, thanks to Zendaya, Rama Duwaji, and Gracie Abrams—it’s a look only outdone by the celebrity favorite “clavi-cut.”
Moreno credits the bixie’s rise to its accessibility, ease, and lightness during the summer months. “I think it’s popular right now because it’s relatable and a lot of women can see themselves in that shape,” he says of Zendaya’s short hairstyle. “It’s such a great grow-out from a pixie. And even when a cut is needed for extreme breakage, it’s a sweet spot that’s not too long or too short.”
Zendaya and Law Roach have long been pioneers of modern method dressing—but for The Odyssey, Z is leaning into Mount Olympus-worthy method glam. Just like the Greek gods were unpredictable, don’t expect to guess what Zendaya and her team will do next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Zendayas new long hair look written in a natural tone with clear answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Did Zendaya actually cut her hair or is this a wig
Its almost certainly a wig or hair extensions Shes been seen with both the short bixie and the long hair in the same week which means the long look is temporary
2 Why did she switch from the bixie to this long wavy style
Its likely for a role or a specific red carpet event Zendaya changes her hair often for her acting projects and fashion shoots
3 What is a bixie haircut
Its a mix between a bob and a pixie Its short in the back and slightly longer in the front with lots of texture
4 What does Greek goddess hair mean
It refers to long loose flowing waves that look effortless and romantic often with a middle part and soft voluminous curlslike a statue of a goddess
5 Did she dye her hair
No she kept her natural dark brunette color The change is purely about the length and the shape
AdvancedLevel Questions
6 How can someone with a short cut like Zendayas bixie pull off this long look
You cant grow it overnight The trick is clipin extensions or a highquality wig For a seamless look youd need a stylist to blend the extensions with your natural texture
7 What hair type works best for a Greek goddess wave
It works on most hair types but it looks best on medium to thick hair If your hair is very fine youll need volumizing products and a good curling iron to hold the wave
8 What products would I need to recreate this look at home
A heat protectant a largebarrel curling iron a texturizing spray and a lighthold hairspray Dont use heavy gelsyou want soft touchable waves
9 Is this long style highmaintenance compared to a bixie
Yes A bixie is