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Aimee Lou Wood, best known for her role in The White Lotus and Sex Education, recently addressed the viral image of her crying following a Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch that made fun of her teeth. In an Instagram story shared on Tuesday, Wood clarified that her tears had nothing to do with the SNL sketch or any comments made about her appearance. She explained, “Just to say, I actually wasn’t crying about anything that the papers made out. I was crying about something completely unrelated.”
The controversy stemmed from a sketch on SNL, where the comedian poked fun at Wood’s character on The White Lotus and her distinctive teeth. The sketch, which aired as part of a segment on celebrities, quickly garnered attention for its focus on Wood’s appearance. Many took to social media to voice their displeasure with the way the joke targeted her, calling it mean-spirited.
In response, several celebrities rallied behind Wood to show their support. Cara Delevingne shared a post on Instagram, showing a screenshot from the SNL segment and writing, “@aimeelouwood YOU ARE STUNNING, PERIOD.” Jameela Jamil also voiced her support, describing Wood as a “brilliant actor” and saying, “It’s the least interesting or memorable thing about this brilliant actor… Our next Olivia Coleman. Hilarious, deep, vulnerable, and relentlessly lovable.”
Jamil also used her platform to criticize society’s obsession with certain beauty standards, commenting, “We make fun of the assimilation of women and then mercilessly obsess over anyone with any slightly alternative features from whatever bulls–t AI standard we have allowed, as women, to take hold of this world.”
As for her own take on the SNL gig, Aimee Lou Wood expressed that she didn’t mind being made fun of when it’s done cleverly and in good spirits. However, she felt that the sketch crossed a line, stating, “I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth. I don’t mind caricature—I understand that’s what SNL is. But the rest of the skit was punching up and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on.”
Wood also took the opportunity to express gratitude to the celebrities who showed their support, reposting their stories to her own Instagram account. Despite the controversy, the outpouring of support highlights the solidarity from her peers in the face of body-shaming and the pressure on women in the public eye.