The film The Moment is a movie about itself—a concept that, in and of itself, carries a certain dizzying, mirror-like quality. Within this work—so “meta” that it borders on narcissism—Charli XCX’s longtime hairstylist, Matt Benns, was responsible not only for every strand of her hair on screen but also appeared before the camera himself. This isn’t a cameo; it is a statement: hair is an integral part of the narrative, and the person who shapes it has every right to be a character within the story.
I. From Stage to Screen: Variations in Hairstyle
Benns’s collaboration with Charli has long since transcended the typical relationship between a celebrity and their stylist. He was a witness to her “Brat” era and a co-conspirator in her pivot toward a darker, more romantic period. In The Moment, this collaborative partnership is pushed to an entirely new dimension.
The film demanded something more than just “good-looking hair”; it required a visual language capable of conveying emotion, a sense of the era, and the character’s inner state. Benns had to distill elements from Charli’s public persona and then reshape them into a different person for the screen—or, perhaps, a different version of herself.
II. Layers of “Meta”: The Stylist Steps into Frame
The most intriguing detail is undoubtedly Benns’s own on-screen appearance. In a film about Charli XCX, her hairstylist becomes a visual element of the picture itself. This arrangement shatters the fourth wall and blurs the boundaries between reality and performance.
It hints at a fundamental truth: a star’s image is never the product of a solitary effort. Behind every meticulously placed strand of hair lie a pair of hands, an aesthetic judgment, and countless hours of experimentation and adjustment. Benns’s presence in the frame serves as a validation—a rightful acknowledgment—of this often-invisible labor.
III. From “Brat” to Darker Tones
Charli’s hairstyles have undergone a distinct evolution in recent years. They have shifted from the almost provocatively disheveled aesthetic of her “Brat” era to the “Brontë Waves” of her Wuthering Heights soundtrack period—characterized by extreme length, a center part, and a distinct sense of Gothic romance. Benns described that hairstyle as evoking “a sense of another era—very novelistic, a rawness distinct from Brat, and a touch more romantic.”
In The Moment, this evolution continues. The film demanded a hairstyle that could simultaneously satisfy several contradictory requirements: it had to be quintessentially Charli, yet not merely Charli; it had to hold up under the scrutiny of cinematic close-ups without sacrificing her signature edge.
IV. Technical Details: Sculpting Hair for the Screen
While the specific styling steps have not been fully disclosed, Benns’s approach can be inferred from his past working methods:
Preparation Phase: Typically begins with detangling and refreshing, utilizing lightweight foundational products to prime the hair for subsequent styling.
Texture Building: Benns excels at blending a variety of tools and techniques—blow dryers, diffusers, curling irons of various sizes, braiding—to create textures that are imperfect and full of life. He eschews overly uniform curls, believing they strip the hair of its soul.
Setting and Balance: Employs flexible styling products that lock the look in place while preserving the hair’s natural movement. Hair on screen must appear convincing in both static close-ups and dynamic action shots.
V. Conclusion
The Moment is a film about Charli XCX, but it is also a film about how an image is constructed. Matt Benns’s involvement—stepping out from behind the scenes and into the spotlight—renders this construction process visible.
In pop culture, a hairstyle is never neutral. It is a declaration of attitude, a footnote to an era, and a silent dialogue between the star and the public. And Benns, as one of the scribes of this dialogue, has finally secured his rightful place on the silver screen.
This may well be The Moment’s most honest revelation: it acknowledges that behind every seemingly effortless image lies a meticulously orchestrated conspiracy. And the conspirators, too, deserve to be seen.