The Truth About Lucille Ball's Red Hair
One of the most famous actresses of the last century is none other than Lucille Ball. She was born in Jamestown, New York, in 1911 and had a bit of an unstable childhood, beginning with the death of her father when she was 3 (via IMDb). As a result, she was raised mostly by her grandparents, who encouraged by her to get into entertainment. Once she got a taste of performing, she never looked back.
According to Encyclopedia of World Biography, Ball entered the John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts when she was 14, but it was mostly a struggle for her. In fact, the school's owner wrote her off and told her she would never make it. Obviously, she didn't let what the naysayers thought deter her from pursuing her dreams of the spotlight. The thing about the entertainment industry is that they are notorious for changing actresses, models, singers, etc. into what they want, especially physically. This happens to be true as well when it comes to Lucille Ball's most recognizable feature — her hair.
She wasn't a natural redhead
According to HuffPost, Lucille Ball's natural hair color was actually brown. She changed her hair color to platinum blond for the first time when she entered the entertainment industry. Those bright blond locks made her stand out and helped her book a couple of minor roles in movies for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. By the 1950s, MGM asked her to change her hair to a heart stopping, eye-catching red. She agreed, and her most recognizable look was born.
The bright red of Lucille Ball's hair was her defining feature on the legendary sitcom, I Love Lucy. Because she was a natural brunette, her hair required specific care to maintain that beautiful color. According to PopSugar, Ball's hair stylist revealed the secret to how they got that recognizable red. Apparently, her hair was not just dyed red, it was more of a "golden-apricot" color, and the red was achieved by using a henna rinse as well. Even after her most famous show went off the air, Lucille Ball still rocked her iconic red hair.