![Amelie, Spock, Friends](https://cdn.statically.io/img/ew.com/thmb/chE47-4lXliAsJT8-pBg_81bI9Q=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Amelie-Spock-Friends-021424-d6ead6ac4a9346539722f709f7f01291.jpg)
Miramax/Everett; CBS via Getty; Max/NBC
Bangs are famously hit-and-miss. Sometimes you get the effortless cool of Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. Other times, you wind up with Courteney Cox in Scream.
Either way, how bangs look on a character is a major decision. It can add dimension to the backstory of someone like Leonard Nimoy's half-human Spock, it can be played for laughs like Jim Carrey's Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumber, or it can wind up like Daniel Day-Lewis' sweaty strands in Gangs of New York.
EW is taking a trip down memory lane to find the best and worst bangs in entertainment history. You'll find all the bangs below, from Amélie to whatever keeps happening in Tim Burton movies.
BEST: Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) in Pulp Fiction
![PULP FICTION, Uma Thurman, 1994, © Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection](https://ew.com/thmb/AAb5KJ7Py8dDSy0uve0rww0dZJs=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mcdpufi_ec020-2000-069160c40dd14cf9b86ecf55de550307.jpg)
You know you've found somebody really special when you can just shut the f--- up for a moment and admire their flawless blunt black bangs.
BEST: Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) in Amélie
![AMELIE, (aka LE FABULEUX DESTIN D'AMELIE POULAIN), Audrey Tautou, 2001](https://ew.com/thmb/H7n2BABTXVG4w8D03OsiaTsSfS0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msdamel_ec004-2000-6d221654daaa4ff1b2ebaae466caa736.jpg)
Amélie was way ahead of the hipster curve when her baby bangs first hit art house cinemas back in 2001, but none of the more recent copycats have pulled them off nearly as well as the fanciful Parisienne with le fabuleux destin.
BEST: Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) on Parks and Recreation
![Parks and Recreation- Season 6](https://ew.com/thmb/oNDTbM9r-zWKAgHcxH4zADXkuMk=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/gettyimages-182946180-2000-d9f713a6035a47a2988f7777fbe33ff2.jpg)
Oh Ann, you poetic, noble land-mermaid. It comes as no surprise whatsoever that your bangs are literally perfect.
BEST: Andie Sachs (Anne Hathaway) in The Devil Wears Prada
![THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, 2006, TM & Copyright (c) 20th Centu](https://ew.com/thmb/SGBenw9FMMdT94HYaZ-r-JNl_rY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mcddewe_fe021_h-2000-ac12bb49c4fa4467970d472517900b14.jpg)
Stringy, halfhearted side-bangs are for sad people who wear lumpy cerulean sweaters. Shiny, well-trimmed full bangs are for fashionistas who wear thigh-high Chanel boots.
BEST: Jill Munroe (Farrah Fawcett) on Charlie's Angels
![CHARLIE'S ANGELS, Farrah Fawcett, 1976-1981.](https://ew.com/thmb/Rppw1ZsDQ5T-v2d4Tr_hlvmdQjk=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tcdchan_ec031-2000-86b57eeed5f642218c31521b5bef737f.jpg)
Behold: real-life angel hair.
BEST: Anastasia Grey (née Steele) (Dakota Johnson) in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy
![Fifty Shades FreedJamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson](https://ew.com/thmb/RGfJ2avuOjgCjERp6jtPWWjL9UQ=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/2475_fpf_00067r-2000-da41490f985945aebf8088dc4b3463ee.jpg)
There's not actually room here for all the possible "bang"-related puns that are relevant to the discussion of the Fifty Shades movies, so just think of your favorite right now, as you admire Ana's hair.
BEST: Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) in Breakfast at Tiffany's
![BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, Audrey Hepburn, 1961](https://ew.com/thmb/3J6yx_1IvgBQRRGnNJWtJKx-qg4=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/m8dbrat_ec004-2000-57c676204117439e99c3c14c7f40bdae.jpg)
If we could ever get a real-life tiny-banged haircut that made us feel like Audrey Hepburn, then we'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!
BEST: Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) on New Girl
![NEW-GIRL](https://ew.com/thmb/HjTrfzsqfmQPJU6QDp1HgbQe8Nk=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/new-girl-2000-c3c7499122a344b78dbd8b5d08a62042.jpg)
Truly adorkable.
BEST: Lizzie McGuire (Hilary Duff) and Miranda Sanchez (Lalaine) on Lizzie McGuire
![Lizzie Mcguire (screen grab) CR: Disney Channel](https://ew.com/thmb/FubMAGinA2KXqgOflbk7926G3bI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/lizzie-mcguire-2000-1b7019606e6c41768394bb624feb3515.jpg)
More like Hill-FRINGE Junior High, amirite?
BEST: Eve (Tyra Banks) in Life-Size
![ABC MOVIE FOR TV](https://ew.com/thmb/x1qxCyLOKIsuGX1zVQXNFz1FXNg=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/gettyimages-93715868-2000-657cfbf90b8b4f118efe55b63a46cecc.jpg)
How to save a dying fashion-doll empire? Shine bright, shine far, get some bangs like a star.
BEST: Ted Logan (Keanu Reeves) in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
![MSDBIAN EC038](https://ew.com/thmb/IGgd32CXkz4ngy8Q0U5pli4ZUSc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msdbian_ec038-2000-5e87c36f6d22498589d38da2c29ff631.jpg)
If Ted's totally Wyld hair gets a little windblown in time-transit, all the better.
BEST: Phyllis (Shelley Long) and Hannah Nefler (Jenny Lewis) in Troop Beverly Hills
![TROOP BEVERLY HILLS, Jenny Lewis, Shelley Long, 1989, (c)Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collecti](https://ew.com/thmb/JdlfTlH4KJEDvGJre9KC5rQCvu8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msdtrbe_ec013-2000-ac180491027b46b3b22df0e697b0a598.jpg)
As a very wise Wilderness Girl troop leader once said, "Just because you're out in the woods, it's no excuse not to look your best." Clearly, Phyllis Nefler practices what she preaches—and taught her daughter Hannah to do the same. Not even a traumatic surprise perm can ruin her perfect bang game.
BEST: Natalie Portman in anything
![Natalie-Portman2](https://ew.com/thmb/ChQmwIwvHRCfLB5MM0_SmqIFQIM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/natalie-portman2-2000-a3211c05fb2c4b96a2d19256bf53e22f.jpg)
Oscar winner, Harvard graduate, bangs icon. From her piecey-fringed big-screen debut in Léon the Professional to her bubblegum-tinted wig in Closer, Natalie Portman chooses her hairstyles just as carefully as she does her roles.
BEST: Spock (Leonard Nimoy) on Star Trek
![STAR TREK, Leonard Nimoy, 1966-69.](https://ew.com/thmb/vuX5U-2ULBKNoY4tNO6lPyQDLsY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tcdsttr_ec029-2000-d5677b967709477694ffdec586ab05f8.jpg)
On most humans, these bangs would rank as the worst, but Spock's not most humans (technically, he's only half-human). It must be the eyebrows that make it work. Whatever the reason, this look has lived long and prospered in our pop cultural consciousness and we salute it.
BEST: Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) in Practical Magic
![PRACTICAL MAGIC, Goran Visnjnic, Nicole Kidman, 1998](https://ew.com/thmb/OD8OFxAUGcxlzkiVjQMRDKOmXow=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msdprma_ec002-2000-1f542bc0f3b546578acdc6d4d2830230.jpg)
Just look at those enchanting bangs! What witchcraft is this?!
BEST: Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) on Friends
![Rachel-Friends-Season-10](https://ew.com/thmb/sg9KxYm4fzlBzKrTxZJjXroQTFE=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/rachel-friends-season-10-2000-2d2bb97f3bf149ff91a9b74541f5ca2c.jpg)
In Friends' final season, Jennifer Aniston updated the most iconic TV hairstyle of all time with a chic set of bangs.
BEST: Young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace
![STAR WARS : EPISODE 1 - PHANTOM MENACE, Jake Lloyd, 1999](https://ew.com/thmb/WSWVKsYWtvKZGQNA15jG6cAqguI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msdstwa_ec021-2000-62f00775aac141b19bc0e53722b0d2b4.jpg)
Admittedly, the Star Wars prequels aren't great, and Phantom Menace isn't even the best of those. But just look at that little Tatooinian cherub! His hair is so big because it's full of midi-chlorians.
BEST: Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor) in Cleopatra
![MOND021 VJ271](https://ew.com/thmb/8viiiWdxCl2BKuF0hWcJjHIgQyE=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mond021_vj271-2000-71a62e6aa630401bae5e2c6425cabbd2.jpg)
We would not recommend anyone try to recreate this look (or any studio try to recreate this movie, which nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox in 1963). But this is Elizabeth Taylor we're talking about, and so, the iconic bangs are unquestionably best.
BEST: Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) on Scandal
![ABC's "Scandal" - Season Two](https://ew.com/thmb/bEGYxBadfwLzqOdaSa03GFEt8uc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/gettyimages-157200346-2000-27a63782874643e3b6348bc465fb6e8a.jpg)
Olivia Pope got bangs in Scandal's second season, and wore them as only a gladiator could.
BEST: Matilda (Mara Wilson) in Matilda
![MATILDA](https://ew.com/thmb/I7hHeOY3fxX05sD5sPq0YBgMtcU=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/htra224_vv134-2000-777d241bb1b744e4951abb12a07bfd13.jpg)
Ah, the young girl's timeless bow-and-bangs look. Also totally classic: telekinesis.
BEST: Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy) and Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald) in The Breakfast Club
![THE BREAKFAST CLUB, from left: Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, 1985, © Universal/courtesy Everett Colle](https://ew.com/thmb/1eiSmZ3LXNTj36772TWdMOz6K_I=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/m8dbrcl_ec010-2000-f7b8d10311384e8387d85eb468ff9fa0.jpg)
"Princess," "basket case," whatever. Each of them is an '80s-hair teen-style star. Does that answer your question?
BEST: Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) on Gilmore Girls
![GILMORE GIRLS, Alexis Bledel, 'That's What You Get, Folks, For Makin' Whoopee', (Season 7, October](https://ew.com/thmb/7n94xHLR8Hx43SIdoyLAi4dIKHM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tcdgigi_ec149-2000-507f227b8a624ce0b3a0fe05abcd1031.jpg)
It took seven seasons, but Rory Gilmore finally nailed her hair (goodbye, Chilton headbands) by the end of Gilmore Girls' original run.
BEST: Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
![HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, from top: Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, 2001,](https://ew.com/thmb/gCx_nQ1jzL_mHnFkQmldXGduKls=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mcdhapo_ec151-2000-32732c4792a64cefb26836350e5a1f77.jpg)
Apparently, if the Sorting Hat senses an adorable set of bangs on an 11-year-old head, it just throws that kid in Gryffindor without giving it a second thought.
BEST/WORST: Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) / Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) on Mad Men
![Mad Men](https://ew.com/thmb/oZwxnyhEpnGHD4TD_h0OxJp9_wc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/madmen-2000-1b815e1d04f74a3e93d06c5eb673a329.jpg)
Joan, queen of the Sterling Cooper (Draper Pryce) offices—and probably of Madison Avenue in its entirety—experimented with a few different updo silhouettes for her brilliant red tresses over the course of Mad Men, but never fully abandoned her glamorous side-swept fringe. Meanwhile, Peggy…also had bangs.
WORST: Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) on Dawson's Creek
![Michelle Williams on Dawson’s Creek](https://ew.com/thmb/zYxeS8orbuiT_w1cXUW4pBalRkc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/michelle-williams-on-dawsons-creek-2000-7f77f699620841d1af083377dc50d25c.jpg)
Will it be yes or will it be sorry, you ask? It will be sorry. When it comes to these bangs, it is a resounding sorry.
WORST: Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) in Gangs of New York
![GANGS OF NEW YORK, Daniel Day-Lewis, 2002, (c) Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection](https://ew.com/thmb/6GuPwQHRfMed6T9Xw6Kv99putmA=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mcdgaof_ec046-2000-6afa528ea75e47d8ab6d4762d38ad89c.jpg)
Could someone please introduce Bill the Butcher and his slimy tresses to Bill the Barber?
WORST: Mary (Cameron Diaz) in There's Something About Mary
![THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, Cameron Diaz, 1998. TM and Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All](https://ew.com/thmb/bapokSgACxhqMjitt4FJnmbF6WY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msdthso_fe005-2000-bb30b709cadc4582a5c4040b4066f9ba.jpg)
Mary doesn't really have well-defined bangs until she puts some, uh, product in her hair and sculpts this unfortunate look.
WORST: Clare Arnold (Kathleen Robertson) on Beverly Hills, 90210
![BEVERLY HILLS, 90210, 1990-2000, Kathleen Robertson, Ian Ziering, 1993-97](https://ew.com/thmb/Jaa4vSBhDb7ui97FI8cRdNXGb54=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tsdbehi_ec181-2000-4135aecef92f4758bc3d99e01e24e897.jpg)
You'd have thought Clare might have learned something from her fellow 90210 residents about how to wear bangs in Beverly Hills. Alas, no.
WORST: Elena Sánchez (Salma Hayek) in Savages
![Film Title: Savages](https://ew.com/thmb/0mbUFUbA3bZUzTZUO1rIincJAFY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/000117005-2000-c845932aac2447b481149dadf107167f.jpg)
Yes, Elena is the ruthless leader of a drug cartel, but the most savage thing about her has to be that blunt cut.
WORST: Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) in the Scream movies
![Courteney-Cox](https://ew.com/thmb/8bP9mzL6h7z88EKbITFvB9_m5LY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/courteney-cox-2000-0b549141cebb45a1836af69918a481d8.jpg)
Gale's bad-to-worse bangs evolution over the course of the Scream film series makes us want to…well, you know.
WORST: Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) on Saved by the Bell
![SAVED BY THE BELL, (from left): Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, 1989-93. © NBC / Courte](https://ew.com/thmb/cgYvzkd1nIXLqlDRL_aWdxvUC10=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/t8dsaby_ec002-2000-c8caeadaa28d49b48dea0ff896080fd4.jpg)
Not even the bell could save this disaster.
WORST: Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) in Dumb and Dumber
![DUMB AND DUMBER, Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, 1994, (c) New Line/courtesy Everett Collection](https://ew.com/thmb/sB2sM9gqIBBmOH91NMfPuIGKpUg=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/m8dduan_ec0021-2000-553b4ed006734126bb45d9962158bbe9.jpg)
Dumb and dumber dudes. Bad and badder bangs.
WORST: Jeannie (Barbara Eden) on I Dream of Jeannie
![I DREAM OF JEANNIE, Barbara Eden, 1965-1970](https://ew.com/thmb/6Y7XCBwvfVnerlrRnwFs1Ts0jhA=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tcdidro_ec001-2000-a7accbebb1964580858825affdc0c650.jpg)
Jeannie may be dreamy, sure, but her faker-than-Barbie-hair bangs are enough to give us nightmares of plasticky blonde strands sprouting out of our foreheads with one cross of the arms and nod of the head.
WORST: Tim Burton movie bangs
![Beetlejuice-Dark-Shadows](https://ew.com/thmb/q12k91t8Y69Cck9zM71-dJKa0-k=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/beetlejuice-dark-shadows-2000-f233ea524c9f4da38c3a5f5e71b7ce20.jpg)
Cinematically speaking, Tim Burton is a master stylist. Bangs-wise, he is…not.
WORST: Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) in Double Indemnity
![DOUBLE INDEMNITY, from left, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, 1944](https://ew.com/thmb/uywrRWqZN0nR6leRnRLvT1RTSCY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mbddoin_ec058-2000-f49bd8db9f9d4271ac2a1ff2f552af51.jpg)
Brought down by the fringe fatale.
WORST: Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) on Girls
![GIRLS-2](https://ew.com/thmb/K6utnXKZzmlJefEZvIc0C4mRx9U=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/girls-2-2000-d2d32a3ac6e64630a270de11d7e69924.jpg)
Let this be a lesson to you, kids. Do not, under any circumstances, cut your own bangs. Even if you punctured your eardrum with a Q-tip and shirtless Adam Driver is just a FaceTime away, it's not worth it. Not even then.
WORST: Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) in No Country for Old Men
![NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, Javier Bardem, 2007, © Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection](https://ew.com/thmb/Cd_ivRWwaQcepxM2ak-_f3hFD-8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mcdnoco_ec122-2000-89c9ca381e464fc4a2160780078336d2.jpg)
No, this vile-banged bowl cut wasn't a wig. It was Javier Bardem's actual hair. He earned that Oscar.
WORST: Jareth the Goblin King (David Bowie) in Labyrinth
![laby_stl_6_h](https://ew.com/thmb/bmRkwCpTxxI2IS3uN-K3xMuI7aI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/laby_stl_6_h-2000-91c4635f8aa343558a33a3fbc28e933d.jpg)
Yikes, Jareth. Maybe stick to owl form.
WORST: D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) on Full House
![FULL HOUSE](https://ew.com/thmb/CsvS0u3BHUKQgVSYDTbjI5GNT9k=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/gettyimages-93417252-2000-9ddc733aecd944e79dbe0fe7379e916b.jpg)
Everywhere you look, it's more and more egregious '80s hair. Have mercy.
WORST: Disney Princess bangs
![Disney-Princesses](https://ew.com/thmb/0yGj5AmRYLptSKtLpqC1oH2pbRQ=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/disney-princesses-2000-0b968d727ac94730a24ee1474b39551e.jpg)
How is it that Disney—which has created the sparkling gowns and fanciful kingdoms and, yes, beautiful flowing hairstyles of our wildest dreams—is so bad at bangs? Who wants this much volume right on their forehead? How does a tiara even manage to peek out from behind a mountain of hair? How are we ever supposed to believe in magic when fairy godmothers are out there styling nightmares like this?