Maya Hawke’s anticipated on-screen transformation – 9 months on from surprise wedding

It’s already gearing up to be a momentous year for Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke’s eldest child, actress Maya Hawke, 27. She kicked off the New Year by wrapping up her six years on the hit Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things in January. Then over the weekend, she surprised fans around the world with the news she tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend, Christian Lee Hutson, in a New York winter wedding on Valentine’s Day – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

In nine months, she’ll transform on screen for one of the most highly-anticipated and star-studded films of the year, boasting multiple Oscar winners among the cast. Maya has landed herself a part in the latest Hunger Games adaptation, Sunrise on the Reaping, based on Suzanne Collins’ book of the same name, which hits cinemas in November this year. She joins Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning and more A-list names on the call sheet in what is an incredibly stacked production.

What to expect from Maya’s Hunger Games role

Maya is taking on the role of a young Wiress, who audiences first met in the 2013 film Catching Fire when actress Amanda Plummer played the adult version of the character. While Maya didn’t appear in the first teaser trailer for the upcoming movie, which was released in November 2025, fans have some idea of what to expect from the star’s on-screen appearance as she steps into the dystopian world of Panem. 

When Amanda portrayed the character, she sported a dark bowl cut and choppy fringe. Maya hasn’t shown what she looks like in character for the prequel film yet, but the book the film is based on describes young Wiress as a “black-haired girl”. In real life, Maya has grown out her sandy hair to below shoulder length as of early 2026, but if the film follows the book description, Maya could be debuting a new hair colour for her latest role. 

© Instagram/ @maya_hawke

To mark the end of filming in November 2025, the actress shared a sneak peak at her getting her hair done on the set of the film. Maya still appeared to have her natural hair, which was being slicked and brushed back. “That’s a wrap on Wiress sooo much fun,” she wrote on Instagram. “Sunrise on the reaping !!! This group of brilliant actors and artists is going to blow you away (myself of course excluded)”. 

The film’s official full-length trailer is yet to come out, so chances are we may get a look at Maya’s on-screen transformation before the film hits theatres on 20 November. 

Maya’s on-screen transformations

© Courtesy of Netflix

Maya is no stranger to changing up her look for a role. The actress, who is naturally a light brunette, notably rocked an ’80s-inspired shag and fringe for her role as Robin in Stranger Things for three seasons. Then in the 2022 comedy thriller film, Do Revenge, she had her hair styled in a blonde bob. 

“I used to really want a very straight bob with no layers, very French, and I had that for years. I was always trying to give it more volume, but it never really worked with that cut and I was afraid of cutting in layers. I had to just get over my fear, and now it’s a lot of layers around the front and kind of choppy. Mostly, I just don’t worry about it very much or touch it a lot,” the actress told Elle about her hairstyle evolution.

Star-studded wedding

© KONY / BACKGRID

The 27-year-old took the internet by surprise when it was revealed she had married her musician boyfriend of four years, Christian Lee Hutson, on 14 February in the Big Apple. Maya’s famous parents, divorced actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, and many of her Stranger Things co-stars supported her on her big day. 

Maya looked gorgeous in a white satin gown, the designer of which is yet to be disclosed, and a white veil,  that she had secured in her hair, which was fashioned in an updo.