Like everyone, I was completely mesmerized by British actress Amy-Lou Wood and her gorgeous smile. Beneath her wide-eyed gaze and between her delicate cheekbones, Wood’s natural teeth add a welcome touch of authenticity to her role as Chelsea in the third season of White Lotus. And she’s not the only one. French-Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon, who plays Chelsea’s new friend Chloe, has her own playful smirk, with natural teeth that humanize her perfect looks. Seeing a smile like that is not only refreshing, but also eye-opening. Aside from those fake teeth in the makeup trailer, imperfect teeth are increasingly becoming a thing of the past in Hollywood.
Just like Barbra Streisand refused to get a nose job for fear that it would change her voice, Wood and Le Bon seem to understand that their authentic smiles can be an asset. Their performances are more convincing because they come from people who look, at least at this point, like real women. Their teeth are also a cultural cue. White Lotus mastermind Mike White reportedly asked Wood to audition using both her natural accent and an American accent. In a recent interview with On Demand Entertainment, the actor admitted that her smile might make it hard for her to play a convincing American: “No American has my teeth!” she said. “I’d have to get veneers! It’s our teeth that give us away.”
She’s right. Cosmetic dentistry has become so common in the U.S. that it seems actors, influencers, and other public figures rush to fix or replace their old teeth as soon as they get their first big check. A Google search for “celebrity veneers” turns up a slew of images of everyone from Cardi B to Demi Moore and Johnny Depp with visibly altered smiles. “All the new actors come in with no money and their teeth are all screwed up,” Alec Baldwin said during last month’s SNL 50 special. “But by the third year, you better believe they’re getting third-year veneers.” To emphasize his point, Sarah Sherman pulled out a pair of crazy dentures.
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