‘That ’70s Show’: Why Did Laura Prepon’s Donna Go Blonde In the Last 2 Seasons?
If you’re familiar with the TV series hit That ’70s Show, you’re most likely familiar with diverse personalities that make up the dynamic group of friends. It makes it effortless for viewers to relate to lead characters despite being set in the groovy era of the 1970s.
More specifically, Laura Prepon’s Donna was strongly associated with not only her strong feminist views but her natural red hair, which is why fans were shocked when she entered the show’s seventh season with blonde hair.
‘That ’70s Show’ is a cult-favorite show
That ’70s Show is centered around the era of bell-bottoms and the rise of disco in Point Place, Wisconsin, in the late 1970s. It is a situation comedy following a group of teenage friends and their many relationships, screw-ups, pranks, and numerous meetings around The Circle.
Just on the border of adulthood, the rebellious teens drink beers, smoke pot (aka “The Circle”), have sex, cheat, fall in love, fall out of love, make Kitty drink, and provoke red. The six friends are Jackie Burkhart, played by Mila Kunis, Michael Kelso, played by Ashton Kutcher, Hyde, played by Danny Masterson, Donna Pinciotti, played by Laura Prepon, Eric Forman, played by Topher Grace, and Fez, played by Wilmer Valderrama.
Jackie is the youngest in the group and is perceived as dim, dramatic, bossy, and boy-crazy. Kelso is the pretty-boy of the group who is dumb but attractive.
Fez is usually the target of most jokes as a foreign exchange student with little to no revealed background. Hyde is the quick-witted stoner friend with a sarcastic and straightforward sense of humor.
Eric is the oldest character known as the smart and nice guy with many geeky references to Star Wars. Donna is the very tall and iconic red-head who is also a badass, strong, and stubborn woman who will stand up for herself to boys and girls alike.
Some memorable That ’70s Show moments that will inspire you to binge the series for the 10th time are when Red calls someone a “dumbass” for the umpteenth time, Donna roughhouses with Eric, Hyde is sarcastic, Kelso runs his fingers through his long hair, Jackie mentions her popularity and beauty, and Fez says “I said good day!”
Donna and her iconic red hair
You may not be aware of it now as you binge-watch all the hilarious episodes of That ’70s Show, but at the time, Donna Pinciotti was one of the most fashionable characters on TV, alongside the notable Rachel Green on Friends. Fans rave about her ’70s fashion of button-downs, flannels, and sweaters with a feminine spin, but what truly set her apart was her long natural red hair.
Natural red hair is the rarest hair color in the world, only occurring in 1 to 2% of the global population. It’s no wonder that when she accepted the role of “Hot Donna,” fans were obsessed with her natural red hair instantly. They aren’t the only ones enthusiastic about her red hair, though. Prepon voiced her appreciation on Twitter, updating fans in 2013 that her hair was back to red, saying, “Love being a red head again!” Maybe there’s a chance she’ll make the switch again soon!
If you’re one of the many who wonder if Laura Prepon’s red hair in her role as Donna is real, the results are in! A picture taken from her childhood and posted to Instagram suggests it’s safe to say she’s a natural redhead.
Why Donna was blonde for the last two seasons
The last two seasons of That 70’s Show saw Donna Pinciotti as a blonde, and it came as a big shock to fans. However, the answer lies behind the scenes, not in the script of the show. The show implies Donna’s blonde hair is in response to her breakup with Eric in the sixth season, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
While Eric suggests Donna’s blonde hair “is a sign [she’s] loosening up,” it was actually a sign of bigger things to come for Prepon in her acting career. At the time, Prepon was filming for her lead role as a woman deeply in love with a violent rapist and murderer in the movie Karla. The leading role, Karla Homolka, is based on a true story of an unordinary case where a woman not only stays in a relationship with a serial killer but is involved with the crimes, as well.
Blonde and red hair on Donna Pinciotti in That ’70s Show was a prominent characteristic that followed Laura Prepon in her career. That is until her recent portrayal of black-haired Alex from Orange is The New Black brought Prepon back to the limelight in a new perspective.
