Joey King isn't afraid to shave her head for an acting role. In fact, it's an experience that she totally embraces.
The actor, who turns 23 this week, opens up about everything from her upcoming nuptials to conventional beauty standards in a new interview with Allure. King has shaved her head three times for acting roles and said she would “absolutely do it again.”
“I think every woman should (shave their head) at least once in their life,” she explained. “I’ve never felt more free or more in tune with my beauty. I couldn’t hide behind my hair.”
King, who has been acting since she was 4 years old, first went nearly bald for a role in the 2012 film "The Dark Knight Rises" at the age of 11. As a 14-year-old, she shaved her head on camera for the 2014 film "Wish I Was Here."
While portraying Gypsy Rose Blanchard in the Hulu series "The Act," King also sported a buzz cut.
Looking back on the three experiences, King said her critics seemed to be more upset about her buzz cuts than she ever could be.
“A lot of people made fun of me when I had my head shaved. A lot of people said really mean things. But when I had short hair, I actually felt more confident; I felt very powerful. (Their words) slid off my back," she said.
The industry veteran, who starred in the film "Ramona and Beezus" when she was 10, still doesn't fully understand why a haircut can drive people to be so cruel.
"People like to insert themselves in other people’s business when it doesn’t actually matter. Me having a shaved head for a project really upsets you that much? I’m doing fine," she said.
King got engaged to producer and director Steven Piet earlier this year, and she feels lucky to have found someone she gets along with on set and at home.
“We work really well together. We also just really love spending time together. So getting to do something where we’re both doing what we love and we get to hang out with each other, (that’s) the best," she said. "I think he’s so talented. He thinks the same about me. We really love just being able to put our minds together.”
Looking ahead, King is obviously excited to plan her wedding, and she also wants to push herself to select a diverse array of acting roles.
“I like to keep myself on my toes. I don’t want to keep doing what people are expecting of me. If you want it out of me, it makes me wonder if I should go a different route," she said.