Powerful reason Aimee Lou Wood doesn’t regret calling out ‘mean and unfunny’ SNL skit about her teeth
Topics: Aimee Lou Wood, TV And Film, The White Lotus, Celebrity
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO
Topics: Aimee Lou Wood, TV And Film, The White Lotus, Celebrity
Aimee Lou Wood has said she doesn't regret calling out SNL showrunners following their cruel sketch aimed at her teeth.
The Sex Education star called the skit 'mean and unfunny' earlier this year, when Saturday Night Live producers decided to mock her physical appearance.
Comedian Sarah Sherman played the role of Wood's character in The White Lotus with a set of false teeth, mimicking her northern accent.
Wood hit back at the time, saying on social media: "But whilst in honest mood — I did find the SNL thing mean and unfunny xo," before joking: "Felt righteous, might delete later.
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"Such a shame [because] I had a great time watching it a couple weeks ago," she replied to a comment asking if she had seen it.
Wood added: "Yes, take the p*** for sure — that’s what the show is about — but there must be a [more clever], more nuanced, less cheap way?"
"At least get the accent right seriously. I respect accuracy, even if it’s mean," she added, before later revealing: "I’ve had apologies from SNL."
The actress has now provided an update to BBC News about her decision to respond.
"I don't regret saying it because it was breaking a pattern, which is what I would usually do - what I did when I was younger and got bullied," Wood said.
She explained how she felt when she saw the sketch: "I have a choice here to go in and be embarrassed about it and just say 'I didn't like that. It was mean'."
"No matter what chaos came from it, I'm still happy for me and my personal journey that I said something," she added.
"I've gone into meetings with directors that I've admired and burst into tears and not been able to say a word and I think that kind of urge is always to correct, to say 'I'm so sorry that I just did something messy' and actually you didn't do anything wrong."
The star did say previously, though, that she was fed up of talking about her teeth.
She told GQ: "It makes me really happy that it’s symbolising rebellion and freedom, but there’s a limit," and added it made her feel 'a bit sad'.
Wood added: "The whole conversation is just about my teeth, and it makes me a bit sad because I’m not getting to talk about my work.
"They think it’s nice because they’re not criticising. And, I have to go there…"
She wondered whether being female had something to do with it: "I don’t know, if it was a man would we be talking about it this much? It’s still going on about a woman’s appearance."
Wood also recalled how a comment that was meant to be kind made her feel very self conscious, after someone said how much one of the White Lotus creators wanted her.
"Someone told me how much Mike [White] had fought for me, they said, 'It had to be you, no matter what HBO said'.
"It was honestly from the nicest place, but my little head goes: 'HBO didn’t want me. And I know why HBO didn’t want me, it’s because I’m ugly'."
"Mike had to say, 'Please let me have the ugly girl!' That was the thing that was in my head."