Tom Payne ushers in a new era with a haircut

The Walking Dead alum Tom Payne ushered in a new era by trimming his iconic brown locks ahead of his new role in an upcoming pilot.

It’s the end of an era for Tom Payne’s lustrous locks as he says goodbye to his long hair ahead of a new role. The Walking Dead alum signed on to star in an upcoming pilot that requires a different look, and so it was a trip to the barber for Payne, who shared photos of the big event on social media.

Tom Payne has had his long hair for a while now, but that’s about to come to an end as he prepares to take on the pilot for Prodigal Son with Michael Sheen.

Payne steps in as the show’s lead after Finn Jones exited the project. Payne had read for the role previously so he’s familiar with the new FOX project, and having him working with Sheen will be a delight even though they don’t see eye to eye.

The Chris Fedak and Greg Berlanti production centers on Payne’s Malcolm Bright, a man who understands the minds of serial killers all too well because his father Martin Whitly (Sheen) is one of the most notorious serial killers of the modern era. Bright works as a criminal psychologist for the NYPD while also trying to manage his mother, sister and father, who still wants to be a part of his son’s life.

Payne shared a picture of his clipped hair with the caption “New beginnings….”:

Naturally, Malcolm Bright is a far cry from Paul “Jesus” Rovia but that might not mean there won’t be similarities. Fans know that Payne can fight so maybe we’ll finally get to see some of the training he did for Jesus, but in his role as Malcolm instead.

So while it’s time to bid adieu to Payne’s luxe locks, soon fans will be saying hello to more Tom Payne on their televisions when Prodigal Son shows up in the fall, and that’s a good thing.