Mandy Moore revealed that her new blunt bob and darker hair change was more than just an average haircut — it marks a defining moment in her life.
The This Is Us actress showed off the new cut on Instagram on Thursday writing that she “wanted to make a big change” with her hair. And in a new interview with Access Hollywoodthis link opens in a new tab, she revealed why.
“I just got done with work,” Moore said about wrapping the latest season of the hit NBC show. “I sort of have to look a certain way for eight months out of the year, and I’m like, ‘Celebrate! Do something different!’”
And there was also a second reason. “But I also think in light of, sort of the last couple of weeks have been, sort of— [holds back tears] I’m not going to get emotional — have been emotionally turbulent in a way. And I think there is something significant about shedding dead weight, and I’m moving forward.”
Three weeks ago she and six other women accused Moore’s ex-husband, musician Ryan Adams, of harassment and emotional abuse in a New York Times story. Moore, who was married to Adams from 2009-2016, said he took charge of her music career in 2010 and “discouraged” her from working with other producers and managers. She claimed that after they wrote songs together, Adams would “replace her with other female artists” when recording.
“His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time — my entire mid-to-late 20s,” Moore told the Times, also saying that he was “psychologically abusive” and belittled her musical abilities.
After coming forward, Moore says she has received an outpouring of support. “It was really overwhelming,” she told Access Hollywood. “I think it’s important to, if possible, speak your truth. But I had no idea the overwhelming amount of support that not only I would receive but so many other women who also came forward for this particular situation and story. I think we’ve all felt really bereaved by so much support.”
“I’m happy that people, and women specially, who perhaps have been in abusive situations of any form feel seen and heard and recognized. Because that was what I was most surprised about by speaking out was feeling like other women were like, ‘Thank you, I’m encouraged to come forward now and share my story as well or just to know that I’m not alone in the situation.”
Moore’s significant hair cut and color was thanks to hairstylist Ashley Streicher and Garnier’s new Shade Selector Tool, which helped her select Garnier Nutrisse Shade 53 for her darker, shorter strands.
Many celebs, including her This Is Us costars Chrissy Metz and Milo Ventimiglia commended Moore for her speaking out.
“There are things that people live through, so to be able to have a forum to discuss it and speak about it honestly, I’m incredibly proud of Mandy for just being who Mandy is, which is a very giving, inspiring woman,” Ventimiglia told Access. “And if anyone else can take away from that situation of being inspired to let someone know that they’re not alone in a feeling, I think that’s a great thing to do,” he added.
After the release of the article, Adams apologized to Moore and the other women who accused him of emotional abuse. “I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly,” he wrote in a series of Tweets. “But the picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate. Some of its details are misrepresented; some are exaggerated; some are outright false.”
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.com
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