Jeremy Deputat, Eminem’s trusted photographer, dropped a new batch of behind-the-scenes Houdini photos. And yes, the internet immediately forgot everything else and zoomed straight in on one thing: Eminem’s face.
Suddenly, Stans are debating beard physics, facial-hair timelines, and whether Marshall secretly owns a time machine. It’s chaos. It’s delightful. It’s very on-brand.
A Clean-Shaven Em? Fans Lose It
Back in September 2024, fans first saw beard-free Eminem in the Houdini BTS photos. What looked like a digital trick on screen appeared to be a very real change in Marshall’s look. Seeing him without his now-iconic beard feels like opening a portal to 2002.
Meanwhile, fans were busy comparing screenshots, shouting “SLIM SHADY IS BACK”, and wondering whether Metaphysic_ai even had to do any de-ageing at all. Okay, it had, but it was not that hard, surely.
The Beard Under a Microscope
For eight solid years, Eminem has rocked a neat beard or stubble. So when he shows up clean-shaven, the fandom reacts like he shaved off a national landmark.
And because this is Eminem, the beard timeline became a whole detective saga:
March 2024: the Jimmy Kimmel show skit with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, the day when Dr. Dre celebrated his Walk of Fame star opening and announced Em’s new album’s upcoming release: nice, thick, dark beard.
April 2024: NFL Draft promo with NFL CEO Roger Goodell: beard mysteriously shorter.
May 2024: Houdini: mystery solved.
Fans finally put the clues together, as if they were solving a true-crime podcast.
Flashback: When “BMF” Caused Beard Panic Too
When Eminem appeared as White Boy Rick on 50 Cent’s BMF, the same thing happened.
Fans asked:
“Is that CGI?”
“Is that makeup?”
“Did he actually shave?”
“IS HE OKAY??”
Admittedly, fair questions. Because Marshall has spent years perfecting that beard, after debuting a somewhat scruffy early version in 2017. Now it looks great. Groomed. Distinguished. Dad-level deluxe.
So the idea of shaving it off for a cameo? That was commitment.
Beard or No Beard, Fans Love the Look
However, whether he shows up bare-faced or fully bearded, it never changes the main thing: Fans are obsessed. The beard discourse is now practically its own fandom tradition — right next to decoding Shady bars and debating album orders.
And judging by Deputat’s photos, Marshall is perfectly aware. He gives fans the beard, until he doesn’t. And then he lets the internet absolutely combust.
Honestly? Iconic behaviour.
