Olivia Cooke shaved her head for the 2015 indie film Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, in which she played Rachel Kushner, a teenager undergoing cancer treatment.
She chose to shave her head for real, rather than rely on a bald cap.
Cooke has said it was important for her to fully commit to the physical and emotional reality of the character.
The decision was made early in the process, even though it meant a big personal change for a young actress early in her career.
What she’s said about it
In interviews, Cooke described the experience as:
Emotionally grounding — it helped her stay in the mindset of the character.
Liberating but vulnerable — losing her hair changed how she saw herself and how others reacted to her.
A moment that reinforced her reputation as an actress willing to take risks for authenticity.
The performance was widely praised, and the role helped launch her into higher-profile projects later on (including Thoroughbreds and House of the Dragon).
If you want, I can also explain:
how the scene was filmed,
how audiences reacted at the time,
or how this role affected her career trajectory afterward.