James Spader says shaved head for blacklisting ‘felt like it was the right thing’

“It was wonderful,” Spader told several reporters. Oklahoma. “I have had long hair, I think, for the last few projects I have done. I think it was the right choice. It just suited his lifestyle, and he’s the kind of person who has to move—travel light and fast—and it seemed eminently practical to him.”

Given Red’s past as a name on the FBI’s most wanted list, that makes sense. Not having to take care of his hair is just one of the benefits of shaving them. Changing his appearance using disguises or wigs is also a much easier process when his own hair isn’t in the way. The logic is confirmed: such a bold choice naturally suits the character.

However, the shaved head was only the beginning of Red’s image. He is always dressed down-to-earth and is usually seen wearing a fedora for a timeless look, a detail Spader went out of his way to include. “We didn’t want him to look like he belongs to any particular style or fashion of any given year or from any given place, because he’s someone who will collect his wardrobe from all over the world,” Spader continued. discussing how Red has been on the run for quite some time so the rates of one place probably wouldn’t have passed on to him. Red also needed to be dressed in something comfortable and appropriate to move from situation to situation without having to worry about changing his wardrobe.