Emma Stone has jokingly blamed Judd Apatow for her iconic red hair ever since Superbad premiered in 2007, the director shares in his upcoming book.
In an excerpt from I Am McLovin: How Superbad Became the Biggest Comedy Hit of Its Generation, Apatow recalls suggesting the idea of changing the hair colors of the film’s female characters. He casually mentioned, “well, maybe it could be red or something?” That offhand comment has haunted Stone for 18 years.
Apatow explained, “So we dyed her hair red, which I think she had never done before. And since then, she’s cursed me because now people love her with red hair, and she’s had to live with that for much of her adult life. It was just a quick thought from someone who knows nothing about makeup and hair.”
Stone, who naturally has blonde hair, was a brunette during filming alongside her co-star Martha MacIsaac. Apatow’s decision to dye her hair red has followed Stone throughout her career, with many fans now believing she looks best with that signature red color.
The book’s release marks the 18th anniversary of Superbad, which has since become a beloved classic. The film, now old enough to graduate high school, starred Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as best friends racing to get to a party before their high school years end. Seth Rogen, who co-wrote the film with Evan Goldberg, also starred in the movie, alongside Bill Hader.
In 2023, while promoting The Fabelmans, Rogen shared that his young co-star Gabe LaBelle, who is 19, and his friends consider Superbad their favorite movie. Rogen was amazed by the lasting impact of the film, saying, “It never changed for some reason. No one’s made a good high school movie since then.”
