Emma Stone has never shied away from total commitment, and it shows in her upcoming movie Bugonia. Set for release on Oct. 24, 2025, Bugonia is a remake of the cult South Korean film Save the Green Planet! and follows conspiracy theorists Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis’ kidnapping of a powerful pharmaceutical CEO (Stone), believing her to be an alien.
From her Oscar-winning performance in La La Land to her haunting transformation in Poor Things, Stone has proven her dedication to her roles. However, for Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming sci-fi thriller movie, Stone took things to a whole other level by shaving off her actual hair on camera for a pivotal scene, which friend Jennifer Lawrence tried to talk her out of.
In an interview with Vogue, Stone opened up about filming Bugonia, talking about the “emotional” experience where the kidnappers shave her head in the backseat of a stolen Range Rover. While Stone said there’s “no better feeling in the world,” especially as she got to shave director Lanthimos’ head first, the concept of losing her hair was upsetting.
Stone reflected on her mother’s hair loss during breast cancer treatment, stating that she remembers thinking: “She actually did something brave. I’m just shaving my head.” Surprisingly, Stone’s mother was apparently “jealous” of her transformation. However, Jennifer Lawrence also wrote to Vogue about her friend’s commitment, detailing her initial reservations. Check out her comment below:
I really didn’t want her to shave her head. I had already lived through the Billie Jean King haircut.
Honestly, she looked beautiful. She pulled it off.
What This Means For Emma Stone
Stone’s hair-shaving moment isn’t just for shock value, as it showcases the kind of physical and emotional vulnerability that actors rarely commit to unless they really like a role and a director. Bugonia marks Stone’s fourth collaboration with filmmaker Lanthimos, and there seems to be a lot of trust between the two creators, which could be reflected in Stone’s performance.
Interestingly, Stone’s dedication also made waves behind the scenes, as she recalls Jesse Plemons’ reaction, paraphrasing him, saying: “Here we go—Emily has shaved her head. We better make this good.” As a result, Bugonia will likely be another offbeat, unsettling, but richly cinematic experience from Lanthimos, and Emma Stone is going all in, again.
Our Take On Emma Stone’s Bugonia Transformation
Bugonia seems to blend sci-fi, psychological horror, and dark comedy in true Lanthimos fashion, and looks to be one of the most exciting sci-fi movies of 2025. Stone’s shaving her head for the role only demonstrates just how much trust she has in Yorgos Lanthimos to deliver his vision, and reflects her own dedication to craft.
This kind of actor-director partnership is rare, and when it works, it’s magic. The mᴀssive reception for Poor Things proved as much. Therefore, if Bugonia delivers the layered, unpredictable tone it’s shaping up to, this moment could be one of the most talked-about scenes of 2025, and a reminder that few actresses today are taking risks the way Emma Stone is.
