Actress Shailene Woodley Explains Why She's Chopping Off And Donating Her Long Locks

Shailene Woodley will be letting go of her long, brown hair this weekend to play a teenage cancer patient in the adaptation of John Green's novel "The Fault In Our Stars."

But the 21-year-old actress -- best known for her role in "The Descendants" -- is going to find a worthy home for her chopped off locks. On Tuesday, she explained on Tumblr that she'll be donating her hair to Children With Hair Loss, a nonprofit that provides free wigs to kids who have lost their hair from cancer treatment, burns, or other medical conditions.

my personal journey surrounding the decision to chop my hair off for #TFIOS. consider joining the #hairforhazel team! http://t.co/o7rz1WLDL9

— Shailene Woodley (@shailenewoodley) August 15, 2013

"For the past five years, I've been on an I-want-to-grow-my-hair-as-long-as-possible kick," Woodley writes in the beginning of her Tumblr post. Until recently, she says, she'd associated her long hair with strength, power, and "an obsession with Pocahontas as a child."

Woodley credits her change of heart to a Regina Spektor lyric: "Maybe you should just cut your own hair, 'cause that can be so funny. It doesn't cost any money, and it always grows back. Hair even grows after you're dead."

"Upon hearing these words," Woodley writes, "I was immediately inspired to cut my own hair off with abandon."

But the actress' post was not merely to explain her own journey. She writes:

so i guess this was my attempt at asking you to take a look at your own situation. if you are in a place of absolutely loving your lengthy dreds, then GO YOU AND KEEP ON GROWIN‘ IT OUT! on the other hand, if you are in the position to cut off 8 inches of your hair, then i strongly urge you to do it. there are so many human beings out there who would LOVE the opportunity to possess long hair, but simply can not because of their current situation…. let’s share! …and remember what regina said, HAIR GROWS BACK…. :)

Her impending donation seems to be sparking a bit of a movement.

"When Shailene told me about this, I immediately thought there might be people in nerdfighteria who want to join her," author John Green wrote on his Tumblr. "We already have one convert joining in: Shailene's mom!"