The White Lotus actor, Aimee Lou Wood, has expressed her disapproval of a Saturday Night Live sketch that mocked her with prosthetic teeth, calling it “mean and unfunny”.
The British actress believes the US comedy program attacked her and suggested the parody was degrading to women.
Through posts on Instagram, Wood stated that she is open to being joked about when it is clever and in good humor but felt there must be a more sophisticated, subtle, and less cheap approach.
At 31 years old, Wood noted that she has received “apologies from SNL” after sharing her critique. The BBC reached out to NBC for their response.
The Manchester-born actress gained significant media attention for her role in the third season of The White Lotus, which centers around a resort’s guests. Her appearance sparked focus on what she refers to as her “big gap teeth”.
This week, an SNL sketch portrayed US President Donald Trump and his team staying at a fictional hotel. Wood’s character, Chelsea, was humorously depicted by cast member Sarah Sherman, using a pronounced accent and fake teeth.
At one point, referring to Wood’s teeth, the character asks, “Fluoride? What’s that?”
Wood clarified that she isn’t easily offended and understands that SNL involves caricature but took issue with the focus on dental health as the core of the joke, saying her teeth are big, not bad.
She argued that the remainder of the sketch was “punching up,” except for the portrayal of Chelsea, who she felt was the only one “punched down”.
Wood emphasized she is not condemning Sarah Sherman personally, but rather the concept of the sketch. She echoed a spectator’s analysis that the sketch initially seemed sharp and funny before veering into old-school misogyny, aligning with her view on the matter.
She also equated inaccurate representation with meanness, suggesting she values authenticity even if it is unkind. Wood has been inundated with thousands of messages supporting her stance since her initial critique.
In an interview with GQ magazine, Wood lamented how the public’s fixation on her teeth distracts from her professional work, citing a cultural association of her appearance with rebellion and freedom.
Wood questioned whether similar attention would be given if a man were in her position, noting the ongoing focus on a woman’s appearance.
