Former “Snowfall” actor Damson Idris has fans in shambles after he got rid of his signature look.
His looks remain a major part of his appeal, which fans debated against Wu-Tang rapper and actor Method Man. That attention helped earn Idris a spot among 2024’s Sexiest Men of the Moment.
However, it seems that assessment was made too soon. The 35-year-old caused quite a stir on social media when he revealed his latest transformation.
The young lad has been compared to fellow London actor Idris Elba for years. Their shared first name and rising Hollywood profiles have fueled the comparisons.
Damson’s latest clean-shaven look adds another layer to the conversation — especially since a magazine previously called him Elba’s younger brother.
On Wednesday, Sept. 9, he posted a selfie to his Instagram Story displaying his freshly shaven face.
Idris, who seemed to be stunned by his own appearance, wrote, “Good Lord, lol” on the photo.
His eyes sparkled as he gently smiled while looking up at the camera, drawing attention to his low, square-shaped afro.
Poking fun at himself, he continued writing, “Why do I always look 13 when I shave? Out here looking like I read the Terms & Conditions.”
Even though he was joking, other fans made it clear that they weren’t digging his most recent look. One person wrote, “OMG PUT IT BACK” and “Keep the facial hair.”
Many went back and forth saying Idris’ new look makes him look like a teenager. Others say, “this mf look old as sh-t.”
Someone else who agreed wrote, “Dude look 40.” A fourth person asked, “Why [did] he shave it?”
It’s a question Idris didn’t answer. But he did leave clues about what he might be up to.
The photo did appear to show him standing in some sort of a trailer.
The next day, he shared a black-and-white video of himself standing next to pianist, record producer, and songwriter Robert Glasper.
In the video, Idris plays with what appeared to be a trumpet for less than two seconds before Glasper interrupted.
After stopping him from playing the trumpet, Glasper called out actors Don Cheadle, Denzel Washington, and, with Idris’ encouragement, Ethan Hawke too.
In his best Washington impression, Glasper said, “Ethan Hawke, Cheadle, and Denzel — eh — you don’t want this work, I’ll tell you that right now. You don’t want this work.”
Idris continues laughing in the background before the video ends with him beautifully playing the piano for a few seconds.
The series of posts seems to be Idris’ revelation that he and Glasper have begun work on the film project “Miles & Juliette.”
The British actor is cast as jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in a drama about his 1949 trip to Paris, where he began a romance with French actress Juliette Gréco. Glasper, who has been spotted in jazz clubs in Paris this week, is aboard the project as the film’s composer.
It’s not clear what exactly Glasper was challenging Hawke, Cheadle and Denzel about, nor are any of those actors known to have roles in “Miles & Juliette.” But it seemed like an inside joke.
Before his latest transformation, Damson Idris gave fans another unexpected look in April 2022.
He sported a clean-shaven face, low haircut with waves in footage captured from his Instagram Story by The Shade Room.
“Yup,” he said, “They shaved me. And now I look 12 years old.”
At the time, Idris was filming Amazon Prime Video’s horror-thriller, “Swarm.” In the series, he stars as Khalid alongside Dominique Fishback and Chlöe Bailey.
Idris has never worn a full beard. Recently, he debuted a disconnected goatee, leaving his jaw and cheeks bare. Footage from June captured the actor showing off the unexpected look.
This time, the London-born actor was filming outside Bristol Cathedral for Netflix’s “The Lords’ Day” in Bristol, England. He recently starred alongside Brad Pitt in “F1” and continues to build a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most prominent actors.
His hairstyles have changed the most. He has gone from short waves to braids and often wears an afro in different styles and lengths.
Fans will have to wait and see which look Idris tries next — and whether they approve.
