Irish actor Chris O’Dowd was spotted sporting a new look as he walked around New York recently; however, it was all in the name of art.

The Moone Boy star was almost unrecognisable after he shaved his head and grew a particularly shaggy beard for his new role in Of Mice and Men on Broadway.

Our favourite funny man stars alongside James Franco and Leighton Meester as he plays the role of Lennie Small in the America play.

While he may have ditched his distinctive curly mop, it seems Chris is having a blast on the set.

Talking to The New York Times about working alongside the Roscommon native, James said: “He’s 90 percent less stoned than I was expecting. Also, I knew he’d be really smart, but he’s proven me wrong every day with that!”

He added: “I’d honestly heard great things about him. We have mutual friends, and everyone was like, ‘You know what? He’s an odd dude, but I think you’ll really like him.’”