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Mandy Moore Reveals Why She Ditched Her Blonde Hair For Good

The ‘This Is Us’ star has more fun as a brunette

The year is 1999. "Candy" is a radio hit. Just like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, and most pop stars at the time, Mandy Moore is a sun-kissed blonde.

Today, though, Moore is known for sporting brown locks. What prompted the dramatic change? A Walk to Remember, as it turns out. Years before Moore's Golden Globe nomination for her role in This Is Us, she played the humble Jamie Sullivan — her first starring role, which prompted her successful transition from hit singer to full-blown actress. It was also one of her first public appearances as a brunette.

The 2002 tearjerker turned 15 on Wednesday (January 25), so co-stars Moore and Shane West took a Walk down memory lane in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Dyeing her hair brown for the film was especially "transformative," Moore said, revealing that "for the most part" she hasn't gone back to blonde since then.

"It came at a time in my life when I was only seen from the pop music landscape and through that lens," Moore explained. "There was a real significance to coloring my hair. As silly as it sounds, there was a real significance in the way that people saw me, but also in the way that I carried myself and that I saw myself. It was the last little piece of the puzzle I think in terms of getting into the character."

West added, "I remember that Mandy was very nervous about dyeing her hair. It’s amazing how it really changed her life — well the movie changed all of our lives — but hers especially, aesthetically."

It's pretty hard to imagine Rebecca Pearson, Moore's This Is Us character, as a blonde, or having any other hair color, really. But never say never! The show was recently renewed for two more seasons, so there's plenty of time for her to experiment with her 'do.

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