EastEnders’ Max Murray, known for his role as Joel Marshall on the popular BBC soap, has revealed a fresh hairdo that’s a departure from his on-screen character.

The young actor, who made his Walford debut in March 2025 as the wayward son of Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and stepmother Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig), quickly became infamous for his troubling behaviour.

Joel’s arrival was marked by a wave of terror across Albert Square, as he fell prey to misogynistic online content and began mistreating women.

One particularly disturbing incident saw Joel filming an encounter with Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James), which subsequently led to her teenage pregnancy storyline. He also crossed lines when he groped a woman on the tube to impress Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall).

His campaign of harassment against Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) escalated when he exposed her past Secret Cam photos. However, Joel’s disdain for women took a horrifying turn when he violently assaulted Vicki, capturing the attack on his phone, reports OK!.

Vicki was left reeling upon discovering that Joel intended to plead not guilty to her assault, leading her into a downward spiral. Currently, Joel is being held in a detention centre.

In a break from his controversial character, Max Murray recently delighted fans with a personal update, revealing a new hairstyle.

On-screen, Joel sports his hair in a sleek, effortless style with a middle parting and face-framing layers. However, Max has now abandoned his signature ‘curtains’ look, opting for a sharper, shorter cut.

Posting on Instagram on Wednesday (January 14), he unveiled a collection of snaps showcasing his fresh hairdo, writing: “New headshot @ruthcrafer thank you”, prompting his fans to flood the comments with praise.

One admirer commented: “You look so different from your Enders style”, whilst another declared: “Looking fresh, my boy”.

A third fan added: “Looking good. Didn’t recognise you”, as another gushed: “Didn’t even recognise you! ! Looking good Max!”.

“Wow, you look so different. Didn’t recognise you!”, exclaimed one supporter, with another summing it up perfectly: “New era”.

Beyond his acting career, Max is the offspring of singer Gina Murray and grandson of songwriter Mitch Murray, whilst also pursuing his own flourishing music career.

In September 2025, he took to Instagram to reveal his newest single, ‘I Keep Fallin’ in Love.’

He explained: “It’s a song I’ve been holding onto for a bit, and I’m so excited for you all to finally experience it. No agenda here, just wanted to share and put a smile on as many faces as possible:).”

EastEnders’ Jessie Wallace, known for her role as Kat Moon, was quick to express her support, responding with a series of high-five emojis and a heart. She was quickly joined by Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell, who also adorned the post with an array of heart emojis.