15 Actors Who Look Amazing With A Little Scruff
For women, it's almost far too easy to change your physical appearance. Go from long hair to short hair, go from blonde to brunette or maybe even red, go for a natural makeup look or a super retro vintage look. There are countless possibilities. For guys, it's a little bit different. Sure, men can rock different haircuts, and some even opt to dye their hair, but for the most part, the single biggest change a guy can make to his physical appearance involves his facial hair - namely, whether or not he has it.
In most cases, facial hair completely changes the way a guy looks - and often, it's for the better. A guy who looked kind of boring or too bland while clean-shaven might have an extra element of danger when he's got a little scruff going on. After all, what woman doesn't love a perfect five o'clock shadow?
Whether they initially grew out their facial hair for a role or because they just wanted to mix up their look (or, maybe, they just grew too darn tired of shaving!), these 15 celebs definitely look a whole lot different - and in our opinion, a whole lot steamier - with a little scruff.
15 John Krasinski, Who Went From Goofy Office Worker To Box Office Superstar
For years, audiences around the world got to know John Krasinski as the lovable goof Jim Halpert, the guy who loved Pam more than anything in the world and filled his day with practical jokes and pranks because he just wasn't that jazzed about working at a paper company. While Krasinski could have easily found other roles playing goofy guys once the show wrapped, he went in an entirely different direction.
He added some major muscle to his frame, started wearing his hair in different ways, and most importantly, started rocking a beard.
Over the past few years, he's stepped away from television and has become a legit A-List movie star starring in action flicks. Plus, he's stepped behind the camera as a director, recently starring in A Quiet Place with his gorgeous and talented wife, Emily Blunt. We have to be honest - we would never have imagined the guy who played Jim Halpert would become a steamy action flick capable of carrying movies that had nothing to do with comedy, but Krasinski has proven he's a man of many talents. And, frankly, the beard has a lot to do with it - it just gives his entire appearance a little something different.
14 Jason Momoa, Who Stole Our Hearts As The Dothraki Dreamboat
Obviously Jason Momoa isn't dressed in his full Khal Drogo attire for any of his roles apart from Game Of Thrones, so we don't expect to see him with his super styled beard or layers of khol around his eyes, but we have to admit - it's a little bit jarring to see him without any facial hair. Momoa got his start as a model, before moving into the acting world and scoring a gig on Stargate Atlantis for many seasons (where he rocked some pretty insane dreadlocks).
However, it's no secret that Game of Thrones was the role that truly made him a household name - while Stargate Atlantis definitely had fans, GoT took fandom to an entirely different level.
He specializes in playing the tough guy, appearing in superhero movies, playing Conan the Barbarian in the film by the same name, and channeling some major testosterone for his role as a cutthroat trapper in Frontier.
While he can channel some major tough guy vibes on screen, in person, he's packed with personality and utterly charming - it's no wonder the world loves him. However, we have to wonder if he would have been as successful if he had stayed clean-shaven - his beard is a huge part of his appeal.
13 Jon Hamm, Who We All Fell For As Don Draper
There are many male celebrities who we've gotten used to seeing with a beard - Jon Hamm is the exact opposite. While he's had smaller roles in several movies and guest starring roles on television shows over the years, there's absolutely no question about what his most iconic role is. And, we have a feeling that regardless of what projects he takes on in the future, the mysterious Don Draper from Mad Men just may forever be his most memorable.
He played that part to perfection and completely channeled that attitude and swagger of the '60s, and totally looked the part. And, as was the style back then, he was completely clean-shaven - something that wasn't an easy feat. His co-star Michael Gladis did a ranking of his fellow cast's off-season beards for Vulture, and he commented that "Jon Hamm can grow a beard in two hours. He probably grew that beard in the time it took to drive to the SAG Awards. Seriously, he has to shave twice a day on set. He doesn't get a five o'clock shadow, he gets a five o'clock beard." Who would have guessed? One thing's for sure, we definitely love seeing a different side of Jon Hamm.
12 Chris Evans, Our Favorite Good Guy, Captain America
Chris Evans has been in the business for about two decades now, and he's definitely evolved over the years. When he first started out, because of his youth, he primarily got gigs in teen flicks, usually playing the clean-cut jock because, well, look at him! If a young Chris Evans doesn't look like the captain of the football team, we're not sure who does. He worked steadily over the next decade, getting roles here and there, but his fame was taken to an entirely different level when he managed to snag a role in the superhero universe, playing Captain America.
If you stop to think of it, he's kind of the perfect guy to play that character - we can totally imagine Chris Evans stepping straight out of an earlier era, with his classic good looks and clean-shaven charm.
That's exactly why fans were so shook when he appeared on screen as Captain America in Avengers: Infinity War and had a full on beard - it seemed so out of character! However, fans around the world were quick to agree that, well, bearded Cap was super steamy. In fact, we just may prefer him to clean-shaven Cap - it's definitely a good look for Evans.
11 Idris Elba, The Suave And Steamy British Favorite
Idris Elba is straight up just a super interesting dude, and one of England's greatest talents for sure. Plus, he's a man of many talents - did you know that, in addition to his wildly successful acting career, he's a musician and DJ? Super impressive. Elba has several huge projects under his belt, including playing DCI John Luther on the British series Luther, Stringer Bell on the cult classic HBO series The Wire, as well as snagging roles playing major characters such as Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
As if that weren't enough, there's also been buzz about him potentially being the next James Bond, and he's appeared in several of the superhero movies in the past decade including Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. The man is a total legend (and, the fact that he snagged an invite to the recent Royal wedding definitely didn't go unnoticed). He looks gorgeous no matter what he's wearing, but we have to admit - Idris with a little scruff is definitely our favorite version. Especially since he's so often all dressed up in an impeccably tailored suit, the scruff just adds a little edge of danger that we're totally digging.
10 Chris Pratt, Whose Beard Takes Away His Baby Face
For men, beards can have a major impact, and that definitely applies for Chris Pratt. This steamy star got his start primarily in television, managing to snag a main role on the wholesome show Everwood as Bright Abbott, then moving on to the California teen classic The O.C. as Summer's hippie bestie Winchester "Che" Cook, then soon after, snagged a major role on Parks and Recreation as the hilarious and lovable Andy Dwyer.
You might think he'd continue on in television, given what a successful track record he had, but instead he decided to completely pivot.
He filmed Guardians of the Galaxy back in 2014, right towards the end of Parks and Recreation, then went on to more films in that franchise, as well as to star in the new Jurassic Park reboot, Jurassic World. While he could certainly return to television if he wanted to, he's made a name for himself as a legit action star who can carry a film on his own, which is pretty impressive. And, we're totally digging the beard he's been rocking more and more lately. Andy Dwyer and his more clean-cut characters like Bright Abbott made sense clean-shaven, but to be an action star? Beards are totally in.
9 Michael Ealy, Who Is So Gorgeous We Can't Even Deal
Michael Ealy is one of those celebrities who we're surprised isn't more successful because, well, look at him! He's a total fox. He got his start way back in the late '90s, popping up in a few small projects before getting a bigger role in Barbershop. Then, he managed to get in on another franchise in 2 Fast 2 Furious. His list of projects is incredibly diverse, from serious roles like For Colored Girls and the television movie Their Eyes Were Watching God, to comedies like Think Like A Man and About Last Night.
He's only 44 years old, so he still has plenty of years ahead of him in Hollywood, and we have a feeling that it'll only take one major role to catapult him to absolute superstardom. He's been focused a bit more heavily on movies, but with the right show and the right character, he could be the next major superstar in the television world as well. We absolutely can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve next - and whatever it is, we hope that he rocks his scruffier look for it, because we absolutely adore the way he looks when he's rocking a little scruff (although the man is gorgeous regardless).
8 Adam Levine, Who Can Hit Those High Notes Like A Pro
Maroon 5 may not be quite everyone's cup of tea, but there's no denying that frontman Adam Levine is kind of a babe. I mean, the man managed to date almost exclusively supermodels for years before eventually marrying one, the gorgeous Behati Prinsloo. And he's been in enough scandalous campaigns that we know exactly what he looks like shirtless - and for women who love a good rock star, he's pretty hard to resist.
We have to admit, given what a household name he's become with The Voice and his own projects, we're a little bit surprised that he hasn't decided to embark on a solo career.
Maroon 5 isn't a boy band, obviously, but plenty of stars like Justin Timberlake have gone on to have super successful careers on their own - we're not sure why Levine hasn't followed suit. Thanks to his rock star vibe, he's also the kind of guy who isn't afraid to switch up his look - he's had longer hair, he's had a buzz cut, he's rocked his natural brown as well as bleached blonde locks for a while. And while he's definitely a cutie when clean-shaven, we have to admit, we far prefer the beard - it just adds an element of rock star grit that we're totally into.
7 Jake Gyllenhaal, Indie Prince Turned Box Office King
Did you know that Jake Gyllenhaal has been active in Hollywood since before he was even a teenager? You see, he grew up in the industry - he's the son of a film producer/screenwriter and film director, so honestly, it's not all that surprising that he and sister Maggie ended up becoming actors themselves. He got his first taste of what it was like to be in front of the camera in City Slickers, then had roles in A Dangerous Woman and Homegrown.
However, he ended up truly finding his fan base when he starred in cult classic Donnie Darko. He went on to score roles in movies like Brokeback Mountain, Proof, Jarhead, Love & Other Drugs, End of Watch… the list is endless, as is the style.
His style is so versatile, and he's been in genres ranging from military action flicks to romcoms to poignant indie movies.
He truly is the kind of actor who could take on just about any character, and we have a feeling that's why he's lasted as long as he has in Hollywood - it's a competitive industry, and it's certainly not easy if you can really only confidently play specific types of roles. In some of his roles in the past few years, like in Southpaw, he's taken on a more gritty appearance that seems to have dribbled into his personal style - and we love it.
6 Daniel Radcliffe, Who Looks Far Less Hogwarts-Bound With A Beard
To many people, it seems like a total blessing to achieve an enormous amount of fame while you're still young. After all, so many stars spend a decade or more trying to get their big break, waiting tables and pouring coffee and struggling with part-time jobs while they try to make their acting dreams come true.
Daniel Radcliffe didn't have that experience - after starring in two small productions, he ended up being cast in the Harry Potter franchise when he was just 11, and he played the character for a solid ten years. It definitely added major dollars to his bank account, but his issue was when he finished playing Potter and was left facing a world that really only considered him Harry Potter. Once that was out of his life, he started to take on different kinds of roles, in movies like Kill Your Darlings, Horns, Imperium, Jungle and more, where he played grittier characters who were a world away from Hogwarts.
And, perhaps to stop people from associating him with his clean-shaven character, he ended up rocking a beard. And, we just have to say, we're obsessed - he's a whole different man with a little scruff and we're totally into it.
5 Jamie Dornan, Who Gave Us A Whole New Set Of Fantasies
Jamie Dornan is one of those actors who was working steadily in smaller roles, before absolutely exploding thanks to one major role - and we have a feeling you know exactly the one we're talking about. The Irish-born babe actually got his start as a model, working for several years with huge designer brands, before snagging a role in the dreamy Sofia Coppola flick Marie Antoinette. He started getting small roles here and there, including a recurring television role on Once Upon A Time, before eventually he was cast as Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise.
It's always tough to judge if a hugely successful book will end up translating well to the screen - it's worked for many series, but sometimes the movie version crashes and burns.
However, that's not what happened with Fifty Shades of Grey.
People loved seeing their favorite characters on the big screen, and Jamie Dornan was as majorly steamy as Christian Grey is meant to be!
When he was starting out in the industry, he was clean-shaven and young looking, but he's taken to rocking scruff more and more often lately, and we dig it. We can't wait to see what kind of projects he takes on when his schedule isn't so jam-packed with playing Christian Grey.
4 John Legend, Who Looks Fab With A Little Scruff
John Legend has been rocking it in the music industry for well over a decade now, both as a solo artist and when collaborating with other talented artists. He's got an Academy Award under his belt for the song he wrote for the movie Selma, as well as Golden Globe, a Tony, and a shelf-full of Grammies. The man is a total musical genius. And, thanks to his marriage to the hilarious model turned cookbook queen Chrissy Teigen, we often get to see a goofier side of him than we ever did before.
For the vast majority of his career, he's rocked a pretty classic, clean-shaven look - he doesn't deviate too much from his standard look. However, every now and then, he decides to put the razor away for a little while and rock some scruff, and we have to say, we sincerely hope he starts doing it more often. He looks gorgeous no matter what his facial hair situation is, but there's something about the kind and clean-cut John Legend with scruff that gives him more of a rock star vibe than an R & B crooner vibe, and we're loving it. We wonder what Chrissy Teigen's thoughts are on beards vs. clean-shaven guys.
3 David Beckham, Soccer Superstar And British Royalty
David Beckham is probably one of the celebrities in the world who is the most willing to take a risk on his style - and we have to wonder if part of the reason is his super stylish wife, Victoria Beckham. During his soccer playing years, it seems that he changed up his look in a major way just about every season. He's had every hairstyle under the sun over the past two decades, and while some looks aged a little better than others (and some seem almost painfully '00s), the fact that he's an insanely gorgeous guy definitely helps him pull off any look.
However, now that he's retired from the sports world, he seems to have settled down a bit in his looks, opting to maintain the same general style - and it's a great one.
Hair that's long, but not too long, and a whole bunch of scruff tinged with a bit of salt and pepper? It's basically the steamy dad look that every dad wishes he could have. Plus, while he definitely has a great sense of style on his own, you know Victoria is right there to help him pick out the perfect outfit for any event if he needs a second opinion.
2 Joe Manganiello, Who Makes Us Even More Jealous Of Sofia Vergara
Joe Manganiello caught the world's attention when he snagged the role of steamy werewolf Alcide Herveaux in the risque HBO series True Blood. Then, he caught everyone's attention yet again when he was one of the dancers traveling and performing alongside Channing Tatum's character in the Magic Mike franchise.
In between his more recognizable roles, he's been slowly building up his career, appearing in projects on a regular basis, as well as charming fans with his insanely good looks and quirky personality (for example, did you know that this gym rat is also a huge fan of fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons?).
He's a handsome guy when he's clean-shaven, but it's nothing compared to when he's got some scruff. We can see why bombshell Sofia Vergara fell head over heels in love with this guy - he's majorly gorgeous, in addition to being what seems like a pretty fun guy to hang out with. Although, to be honest, we'd love a lot more projects surrounding his physique, because the man's body is just insane. Yes, he penned a book, Evolution, a few years back, but… we need more fitness content from this celebrity so men all around the world can sculpt their very own Manganiello physiques.
1 Michael B. Jordan, Who Won Our Hearts In 'Black Panther'
Michael B. Jordan has been killing it in Hollywood for years now, but thanks to his role as Killmonger in Black Panther, he's on a whole different level now. Jordan started out when he was still just a kid, appearing in the sports drama Hardball, before going on to home his skills on The Wire, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood and the soap opera All My Children. Then, he started getting more and more roles on the big screen, in meaty projects like Fruitvale Station, where he became a total indie darling, Creed, and of course, Black Panther.
It's hard to believe he's just 31 years old because he's already accomplished so much - that's what happens when you know all about your dreams from a young age!
He's a handsome guy when he's clean-shaven, but we have a feeling many, many women prefer him with a little scruff. And, let's not forget about the level of thirst his looks can inspire - I mean, who is going to ever forget about the poor girl who clenched her teeth so hard upon seeing him on screen shirtless in Black Panther that she quite literally broke her retainer? He's got looks so good they're dangerous!
References: popsugar.co.uk, elitedaily.com