A recent cut and color can turn you into essentially the most unexpected character. This week, actress Taraji P. Henson proved just that, channeling her latest role as business woman and mistress “Vivian Thomas” with an asymmetrical orange pixie cut on the premiere of Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist in Latest York.

Her hairdo––next to a flipped ‘70s blowout on Terrence Howard––featured short, natural-toned sides and back, maintaining the form of her normal cut (see: her look on the Tonight Show). Nevertheless, self-proclaimed “hair minister” and hairstylist Tym Wallace dragged an impulsive brilliant orange through the lengths of her hair, adding an experimental “just dyed in the toilet sink” style to the look.

“When you can’t show women how you can be strong and have a voice, how will they know,” Henson told ESSENCE on the black carpet. And, her punk hairdo speaks volumes, just as her message says. Soaked in hair grease like Heath Ledger in The Joker, strands of hair crash into one another as they hang into her face. 

To pair with the look, makeup artist Saisha Beecham went with more innocent light pink tones on her cheeks and lips to counteract the badassery she had happening, which also translated onto her pale stiletto nails (à la Temeka Jackson.) Now, in a full-fledged Vivian Thomas moment, we get an inside look on what to anticipate from Henson any further––the unexpected.