"White Lotus" actress Aimee Lou Wood expresses a Moderate Melancholy Regarding Persistent Speculations Over Her Dental Characteristics
Aimee Lou Wood is making waves in Hollywood, not just for her exceptional acting skills, but for her undeniably unique gap-tooth smile. Many admire her for bucking the traditional Hollywood trend of picture-perfect, gleaming white teeth. However, Wood finds the constant attention on her appearance, particularly her overbite, a bit disheartening.
In an interview with British GQ, the 31-year-old "White Lotus" star expressed her feelings about the relentless commentary on her looks. She admitted that the focus on her teeth sometimes makes her feel like there's something "off" about herself that she needs to fix.
"I appreciate the rebellious and free-spirited vibe it conveys, but there's a limit," she said. "The conversation revolves solely around my teeth, and it's a bit saddening because I'd rather discuss my work."
Wood couldn't help but wonder if the same level of scrutiny would be applied to a male actor's appearance. "I can't help but ponder if a male actor would be subjected to such extensive discussions about their looks," she mused, having previously been a fan favorite on Netflix's "Sex Education."
Before the show's premiere, Wood admitted to feeling self-conscious and aware of her "quirks" while filming in Thailand. A particular memory that stood out was when a producer shared that the show's creator, Mike White, had fought hard to cast her.
"Someone told me how much Mike had advocated for me. They said 'It had to be you, no matter what HBO said,'" she recalled. "My little mind went 'HBO didn't want me. And I know why HBO didn't want me, it's because I'm ugly. Mike had to argue 'Please let me have the ugly girl!'" she told the magazine. (HBO, like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.)
Another time, while filming a beach run scene for her character, Chelsea, Wood remembered a cameraman praising her "unconventional" running style.
"Frank, the cameraman, went 'That choice you made with the weird run? That is genius,'" she recalled. "And I'm thinking 'Frank, that's my run.'"
Wood's natural smile serves as a beacon of natural, unaltered beauty in an industry that typically prizes perfection. Her choice to keep her authentic features is a refreshing challenge to the norm of cosmetic dental work[1]. Though there's celebration around her and others "loving their natural features," Wood's experience underscores a problematic focus on actors' appearances in Hollywood, with a tendency to reduce an actor's value to their adherence to certain beauty standards rather than their talent[1].
- "Aimee Lou Wood's unique gap-tooth smile, symbolising her rebellious and free-spirited vibe, is often the focus of discussions, but she finds it sad that these conversations overshadow her work."
- "In an industry that typically prizes perfection, Wood's choice to keep her authentic features, like her overbite, serves as a beacon of natural, unaltered beauty, challenging the norm of cosmetic dental work."
- "Wood, a Briton known for her exceptional acting skills, mused about the possibility of a male actor being subjected to similar extensive discussions about their looks, suggesting a problematic focus on actors' appearances in Hollywood."
