First came the tears, then came the generosity.

Actress Shailene Woodley had to cut her hair to play a cancer-ridden teen for her film The Fault in Our Stars. The thought of losing her beautiful long hair was a little too much for the young actress, and she was led to tears at the salon.

When the stylist began her task of cutting through the 22-year-old’s ponytail, Woodley couldn’t even watch. Once the deed was done, she opened her tear-filled eyes and – well – lost it a little.

“I might cry so hard you guys,” the Divergent star warned her stylists. “I’m so afraid to look.”

Woodley admitted it wasn’t so much the hair that was making her so emotional, but the effort it took to get her hair to that length, and the Samson-esque meaning she gave to her head of hair.

Exclusive video: Shailene Woodley gets her hair cut for @TheFaultMovie http://t.co/8G3eMEcrNJ pic.twitter.com/biFaB0O6p6

— MTV News (@MTVNews) April 30, 2014

“For the past five years I’ve been on an I-want-to-grow-my-hair-as-long-as-possible kick … About half way through my hair-growing escapade, I began to deeply look at WHY I was so keen on creating flowing locks down my spine,” she said in a Tumblr post before the scissors were taken to hair-growth accomplishment. “I finally came to the conclusion that hair, for me, was a symbol of strength … For the longest time, I was committed to never chopping it off. Cut to: now. On Saturday, it will be the shortest it’s ever been. and I feel so relieved, so ready, so dedicated.”

I'd turn DIVERGENT for Shailene Woodley any day #wcw pic.twitter.com/zq4kzmPNh6

— Koo (@myboy_Koo) May 1, 2014

Shailene Woodley is my hero and role model. RT if she is yours as well <3 #Divergent #ShaileneWoodley pic.twitter.com/HSuhHJUmfj

— Marta G (@MartaGraudina) April 30, 2014

If her theory is correct, perhaps the strength she did receive from growing out her hair for years is what led her to generously donate her hair to Children With Hair Loss.

a few more hours & my hair will be worn by someone new. what does your hair situation look like?? #hairforhazel http://t.co/o7rz1WLDL9

— Shailene Woodley (@shailenewoodley) August 16, 2013

Perhaps some real cancer-ridden kids will find their own strength in her charitable act.

Image via YouTube