“iPhone face” is a recent phenomenon where actors look too modern to believably depict people from other periods; It describes someone who looks like they know what an iPhone is. Humans have had diverse facial features for centuries, so which features specifically contribute to the iPhone face? Some have connected this to personal grooming habits that follow modern trends: Thicker, angulated eyebrows, lip filler on women, and perfectly straight hairlines on men. Cosmetic dentistry and surgery are also popular defining features.
Actors with veneers or straight, overly white teeth are more likely to fall into this category simply because these procedures are newly popular. For most of human history, it was normal to have discolored, crooked, asymmetrical teeth. Veneers have been available since the early 20th century but became a widely popular procedure in the ’80s. Some examples of iPhone face as a result of veneers include Simon Cowell, Lindsay Lohan, and Steve Harvey.
Many attribute this phenomenon to the trend cycle of cosmetic procedures. From BBLs to buccal fat removal, when a new surgical beauty treatment gains popularity, it’s inevitable that an actor or artist will pop out one day looking noticeably different. The most common procedures include chin implants, buccal fat removal, canthoplasty (“fox eye” surgery), and a variety of filler placements.
Actors in period pieces have the arduous task of playing the part and fitting the date of the film. Embodying a character from a different era requires diligence. One needs to understand the social dynamics, historical context, and cultural nuance of that time. When a world is meticulously crafted through costuming, set design, and dialogue, having an actor on set who looks out of place can disrupt the viewer’s immersive experience.
Realistically, most of these “modern” features have always existed. They simply weren’t considered conventionally attractive during the period being portrayed, which is why our minds don’t associate the two. This points out a significant issue within Hollywood, which is the look that the industry requires of its actors. Cinema is expected to offer viewers a temporary escape in which to engage. When someone on screen looks like an Instagram model, it tends to ruin the experience.
A good example of this is Michelle Randolph in 1923. Randolph is gorgeous but looks out of place on screen next to characters with textured skin and frizzy hair. A show that explores a family’s hardships as they make their way out west during a drought and struggle through the initial stages of the Great Depression loses some credibility when the female lead has filled-in brows and a Bobbett Curler blowout in every scene.
Some attribute this to the inability of Hollywood to consistently cast average-looking actors. They claim that talent is now overshadowed so long as an actor has “the look.” Beauty standards are constantly changing and evolving, which can make it difficult for actors to get roles — regardless of their skill — if they aren’t up to date with trends.
Ultimately, the iPhone face may be here to stay. Beauty standards in Hollywood will never go away, but the push from the general public to feel immersed in the story may finally encourage casting directors to look at new talent. And that is something to look forward to.
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