a beard coincidence

While I was away, not one but three of my friends grew beards. Okay, one is an acquaintance and I haven't seen him for a few months anyway and thus cannot be sure exactly when he grew his facial hair.
However, the other two newly hairy friends have embraced the bearded look for two completely different, but equally fantastic reasons.

One is going to be a wizard extra in the next Harry Potter movie and the other is going to shave his beard into a crazy handle bar mustache for his 'dress like your favourite popstar karoke 30th birthday party'