It’s a time-honored tradition for a beloved, much-swooned-over heartthrob to ditch their signature hairstyle and reach for the clippers. Over the years, we’ve seen this phenomenon occur many times over, including when Justin Timberlake buzzed off his curls to signify a new chapter post-*NSYNC, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before star Noah Centineo saying “See ya!” to his curls in 2019, and Harry Styles shaving his fan-loved locks in 2023. Now, two new heartthrobs of the 2020s have joined the party, with Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie and Manchester City footballer Erling Haaland both buzzing their notable hairstyles in favor of a summery buzz cut.
Let’s start with Storrie, shall we? The actor is known for his signature curls, but they appeared to be long gone in a snapshot shared by a fan account on X. Storrie and his Heated Rivalry costar Hudson Williams are currently shooting the second season of the enormously popular HBO Max series, and if these pics are legit, it appears that Ilya may have changed up his look. Since the pic is shot from a distance, it remains to be seen what’s really going on with Storrie’s hair, but fan accounts are speculating what the change-up could mean for the star and his Heated storyline.
Storrie did allude to a future cut in an interview with Teen Vogue, saying, “I’m ready to cut this stuff off if y’all want me to be completely honest. I’m ready to shave my head. I don’t know who’s out there, but someone hire me and give me a crazy haircut.” The clues were all there, we just weren’t ready for them!
As for Haaland, whose long, pale-blonde hair nabbed countless headlines during the World Cup, buzzed it off and filmed the whole thing for YouTube. In the video, he said he wanted to buzz it right after the World Cup, but got busy. However, a new season means “a fresh start” for the Norwegian striker, and nothing says fresh start like a brand-new hair cut. Gone is the flowing, viking-esque length and in its place, a short blonde buzz. Comments on Haaland’s Instagram post teasing the cut are mixed, with some fans loving the update and others mourning the loss of that platinum ponytail. But don’t mourn too much—it’s simply a new version of your fave soccer star or TV hockey player to love!
