'80s Star Diane Franklin's Gorgeous Hair Evolution, In Photos

Diane Franklin rose to fame in the early '80s with the drama film "The Last American Virgin," and after more than four decades in Hollywood, the actor has undeniably changed. Franklin, who was 20 when the film premiered, has spent the majority of her life in the limelight. In 2026, the star turned 64, looking as fabulous as ever. If you ever wondered what Diane Franklin looks like without her signature curls — a look she was known for in the '80s —, you should know that her hair transformation through the years shows that the star can also pull off sleek hair.

That said, Franklin's curls are her signature look for a reason. The star's bouncy texture looks great with both short and long hair. In the past decades, the actor has given us quite a bit of variety, rocking darker and lighter hair colors and even having fun with bangs. If there's one takeaway from Diane Franklin's hair evolution, it's that you should embrace every season of your life — and switching up your hair every now and then is always fun!

In the 1980s, Diane Franklin went from being a teen to entering her 20s, and throughout the decade, she starred in projects like "The Last American Virgin" and "Amityville II: The Possession." Back then, the actor was known for her voluminous curls, which she occasionally straightened for acting gigs, showcasing that she looks stunning with a blowout too. The actor's haircut also had straight-across bangs, which worked well with both her curls and straight hairstyles.

While Diane Franklin's film career slowed down in the 1990s, the actor continued working on quite a few projects. In a 1990 episode of the series "Encyclopedia Brown," Franklin shared throwback photos on Instagram, showing off her stunning curls in a loose, low updo accessorized with dangly earrings. What's noticeable is that the actor ditched the straight-across bangs for a more side-swept style, as the lighter color softened her features. In a 1991 episode of the series "Murder, She Wrote," Franklin flaunted the soft hairstyle, showing off her hair's enviable volume.

Diane Franklin stayed out of the spotlight for the majority of the 2000s, and by the time the end of the decade rolled around, the actor was seen rocking blond locks. At Wizard Entertainment's Comic Con Expo in 2010, the "Better Off Dead" star sported gorgeous strawberry-blond hair in a chic, collarbone-length bob, joining a long list of celebs who stunned on the red carpet with their curls.

A year after Diane Franklin rocked strawberry blond locks, the star decided to go back to the deep brown color she was best known for. Through the early 2010s, Franklin was a brunette, switching between a slightly longer collarbone-length cut, like the look she had at the 2011 Chiller Theatre Expo, and the shoulder-length hair we saw her flaunt at the 2013 premiere of "Parole Officers." Of course, the star's hair was actually a bit longer, but she rarely wore it straight, instead perfecting the art of styling her bouncy curls with a side part. 

Strutting confidently through her 50s, Diane Franklin switched between longer and shorter hair in the late 2010s. In 2016, "The Amityville Murders" star rocked a curly lob that touched her shoulders at the opening of Per Bernal's Fine Art Photography Studio in Los Angeles, California. Two years later, she chopped it into a curly, jaw-length bob that stole the show at the premiere of "The Jackie Wilson Story," showcasing that her hair texture looks beautiful in various lengths. The actor also ever-so-slightly lightened her hair to a warm, gold-toned brown. Simply gorgeous.

While Diane Franklin stuck to brown hair in the early 2020s, as seen by the style she rocked at a 2022 event for The Hollywood Show, the actor did have some fun with the new shades. Previously, Franklin had rocked dark brown and gold-brown, but this year the actor also explored mahogany brown hair, adding a subtle hint of red to her curls. She flaunted the new hair color at the Children's & Family Creative Arts Emmys, keeping her hair in a lob haircut with side bangs.

In December 2023, Diane Franklin served us quite a dramatic hair change, as she showed up to the Emmy Creative Arts and Lifestyle Awards with long blond hair. The actor attended the event alongside her daughter, actor Olivia DeLaurentis, and while both women looked fabulous, we couldn't keep our eyes off Franklin's blown-out hair, which was a major departure from her signature curls. By 2025, the actor went back to a darker hair color, which she showed off at the annual Halloween Hotness Gala.

All through 2026, Diane Franklin has rocked her signature hair texture on long hair. In October 2026, she shared a pic of herself on Instagram, showcasing how beautiful a half-updo style looks on her. After we discussed '80s star Diane Franklin's stunning curls in August 2026, the actor gushed on Instagram, writing, "Curls are back in! I'm in shock!" Franklin's love for her stunning natural hair texture is a great reminder of just why curly hair is never out of style, and how great it looks on a variety of different hair colors and lengths.