By Emma Jane Cooke
Over the weekend, Saturday Night Live debuted a new sketch titled The White Potus. This sketch comes as a result of The White Lotus Season 3 finale which premiered last week and has been gaining a lot of buzz online; therefore SNL must stay in the loop, but instead have landed themselves in hot water.
The White Potus recreation includes actors who play Donald and Melania Trump and other characters that are clearly emphasizing their insufferable personalities adding a somewhat political theme to the sketch. However, the sketch became an even harder watch when Aimee Lou Wood’s character was depicted by Sarah Sherman. Aimee Lou Wood is no stranger to questions surrounding her teeth, especially now more than ever where veneers are taking over the acting scene.
It is clear that with current beauty standards, SNL were using Wood’s teeth for comedic affect rather than focusing on the aspects of her character’s personality. It almost acts as a way of targeting or pointing out those who have a unique style of teeth as Hollywood is now becoming filled with veneers and uncanny teeth. This style of content is only pushing the narrative that actors should have veneers even more.
Side by Side: Sarah Sherman depicting Aimee Lou Wood (left). Aimee Lou Wood (right).
A notable example of the dislike for veneers is when Sam Claflin got them back in supposedly 2023. This created uproar online as Claflin’s teeth were identifiable for their unique shape. Claflin is now one of the many Hollywood stars in a sea of actors with veneers.
Sam Claflin before and after veneers.
Many viewers were not impressed by Sherman’s depiction of Wood’s character and people have taken the opportunity to highlight the importance of normalising natural looking teeth. Wood herself spoke out on the sketch and claimed it as “mean and unfunny”. The sketch has also proved for many non-Americans to point out how unfunny they think SNL is and how they can do better than to focus on an actresse’s teeth as the only comedic factor for the character.
Nowadays, it is much more noticeable to point out when someone does not have veneers as viewers are conditioned to see these specific ‘perfect’ types of teeth as the usual on screen; so when Aimee Lou Wood popped up, the internet was quick in giving their opinions on the representation of natural teeth, some which were not asked for, for example, Saturday Night Live.