Jennifer Love Hewitt didn’t hold back when responding to online critics who accused her of looking “fake” in a recent selfie.
According to reports, the Ghost Whisperer star appeared in an Instagram post shared by her hairstylist, Nikki Lee, after debuting a fresh new look. Hewitt had cut her hair into a sleek bob and dyed it a deep brown — a change her stylist celebrated with the caption: “Was time to spice things up.”
As often happens when a celebrity updates their appearance, comments quickly filled in. While many fans praised the 44-year-old actress, others questioned her changed look, with some suggesting she had undergone cosmetic procedures. A few even said she was “unrecognizable.”
Hewitt, known for her breakout role in I Know What You Did Last Summer, did not remain silent. Instead of ignoring the criticism, she responded with humor. Posting a series of exaggerated, heavily filtered photos, she poked fun at the claims that she had altered her face with surgery.
“So many people said I look different,” she wrote. “I look the same as always. Couldn’t look more natural. I woke up like this. Filters don’t change you that much.”
Although her response was clearly tongue-in-cheek, her message carried a serious undertone. She encouraged followers to show more compassion online, reminding them that whether someone uses filters or not, kindness should always come first.
She ended her post with a simple but pointed message: “Let people be filtered or unfiltered. Be good. Be kind. Spread love.”
Earlier this year, Jennifer Love Hewitt again faced scrutiny over her appearance after sharing a heartfelt post to celebrate her 44th birthday.
In the early-morning message, she candidly reflected on where she is in life:
“Woke up at 4am and was 44! I am deeply grateful, blessed, happy, sometimes insecure about aging, a mom of three incredible babies, married to the most handsome and awesome man, and really excited to see what this year has for us,” she wrote.
She continued with warmth and gratitude:
“I feel magic in the air and I love magic. Off to work… thank you mom for giving me life. I miss you so much. Gonna get my job done and my birthday cheers on later. PS Atticus got up way too early and sang me happy birthday! My heart melted. Now go have a great day everyone. It’s my birthday you have to do it!”
While many fans filled the comments with birthday wishes and support, others again focused on her looks. Some followers expressed surprise at how different the former child star appeared, once again sparking online debate about aging, filters, and the scrutiny female celebrities often face simply for getting older in public.
Reactions to Jennifer Love Hewitt’s recent post were mixed, with some fans expressing shock at her new look:
“I saw this picture in an article and thought they made a mistake because I didn’t believe it was JLH, I didn’t even see a resemblance. I came to Instagram to double check and I am shocked,” one person wrote.
“Why doesn’t she look like herself? I’m so confused,” another added.
“That’s not her,” a third commented. “It can’t be.”