Aaron Taylor-Johnson Debuts Rugged, Bushy Beard at Venice Film Festival

Aaron Taylor-Johnson brought a brand-new look to the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.

Taylor-Johnson, 35, stepped out at the Saturday, August 30, red carpet premiere of Frankenstein looking dapper in a white tuxedo jacket that complemented his black trousers and matching bowtie.

Taylor-Johnson wore his locks in tight curls, while debuting a rugged-looking scruffy mustache and beard.

Aaron has been slowly growing out both his hair and beard this summer, last stepping out with wife Sam Taylor-Johnson at Paris Fashion Week in June with a shorter ‘do and goatee.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Is Nearly Unrecognizable After Shaving Off Beard

While fans barely recognized Aaron’s new look on Saturday, he’s long been willing to experiment with facial hair.

“I’ve seen some pretty impressive beards from some young lads. Guys saying to one another: ‘Dude, I saw you two weeks ago, what the f***? That’s some serious growth you’ve got going on there. F***in’ hell!’” Aaron told The Guardian in 2015. “I got into beards right in the middle of the hipster boom. But that’s not why I’m doing this.”

Aaron usually grows out his hair for acting roles — in fact, it took him nearly three months to grow a beard for 28 Years Later, which premiered earlier this year.

“It grows quite quickly, but it definitely changes the way I look,” Aaron told Entertainment  Tonight in December 2024. “I’m happy hiding behind a big bushy beard. It’s when it comes off that I feel a little vulnerable [and] a little exposed.”

When it comes to his grooming, Aaron told Harper’s Bazaar UK in February 2024 that he keeps his maintenance low-key and only uses hair oil on his curls.

“I enjoy growing out my hair. It feels like I’m not conforming,” he told the outlet. “I like to be outside the box, there’s a little bit of fluidity and freedom to it.”