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Pray Tell, What’s the Deal with ‘You’ Star Penn Badgley’s Beard?

If you’ve seen Netflix’s You, then you probably have some level of strange attraction to Penn Badgley and his character Joe. Despite Joe’s, um, many issues, he’s extremely romantic (not to mention kinda hot). At the end of the day, we don’t blame you.

But now that the 33-year-old actor has wrapped shooting and most press for his hit series, things seem to have gone a little off the rails. Case in point? Badgley’s new beard. It’s bushy, it includes a goatee/mustache combo and it continues onto his neck a bit. For someone with such great cheekbones, we’re just not sure why he’d go for this look. Could it be a Movember effort that’s outstayed its welcome? Or, could Badgley just be taking a breather from shaving in between gigs? Either way, we’re looking forward to when it’s over.

This isn’t the first time Badgley has tried out a beard. In 2012, while on hiatus from Gossip Girl, he rocked the same full-facial hair look in an even more bushy style. At the time he told Vulture, “I’m probably going to shave it in about a week, but now it’s just a chance to try it out.” The You star went on to confess, “I’ve never really had the opportunity to grow one…because of work. And I know everybody hates it.” No comment on our end, but let’s hope this time around his beard intentions are also short-lived.

Netflix, go ahead and renew You for its third season so this guy can get back to work with a clean-shaven face. Please and thanks.


lex

Cat mom, yogi, brunch enthusiast

Lex is an LA native who's deeply obsessed with picnics, Slim Aarons, rosé, Hollywood history and Joan Didion. She joined PureWow in early 2017.