I’ve spent the last decade staring at faces, mostly high-definition ones on red carpets and cinema screens, and I’ll be honest with you: for a while there, it got really boring. There was this stretch of time where every single person in Hollywood seemed to have the same set of blindingly white, perfectly square, slightly-too-large porcelain veneers. We called them “Turkey Teeth” over here in the UK, and frankly, they looked like a row of urinals.
But as we sit here in early 2026, something has shifted. Maybe it’s a backlash against the AI-generated perfection that’s flooding our phones, but the “un-perfect” smile is having a massive, undeniable moment. People are actually paying dentists to keep their gaps. They’re refusing to straighten that one overlapping incisor. They’re realising that a bit of character in your mouth is what makes you, well, you.
I remember watching a young actress on a talk show recently, and I actually cheered when she laughed. You could see her real teeth. They weren’t perfect. They were human. And in an age of filters, that felt like a revolutionary act.
Anyway, here’s the thing: when people ask which famous people have crooked teeth, they aren’t usually looking for a list of “fails.” They’re looking for their own reflection. They want to know that you can have a massive, world-conquering career without having a mouth that looks like a 3D-printed architect’s model.
Aimee Lou Wood -The “Rebellious” Poster Child
If you haven’t watched Aimee Lou Wood in shows such as The White Lotus or Sex Education, then you’re sorely overlooking one of the most delightful faces onscreen right now. And she’s the true “poster child” of natural in 2026.
Now, look, she’s been incredibly open about the fact that she was picked on for her teeth as a kid. We’ve all been there, right? That one thing on your face you wish you could erase. But she’s stood her ground. She’s famously said that her teeth represent “rebellion and freedom.” She’s even mentioned that she gets hundreds of messages from fans saying her smile made them feel okay about theirs.
The crazy part is that she thinks her crooked teeth actually protect her. She told an interviewer in early 2025 that she probably couldn’t convincingly play an American because “no Americans have my teeth. ” It’s her British superpower. It gives her an edge of realism that a set of £20,000 veneers never could.
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Keira Knightley – The Queen Of Period Realism
If you’ve ever wondered why Keira Knightley reigns as the queen of period dramas, her smile should be part of the secret sauce. Directors frequently discuss the “realism” she brings to roles in Pride & Prejudice or Atonement.
The fact is that if Keira had one of those “perfect” Hollywood smiles, she would look bizarre in a corset. It wouldn’t fit the era. She’s kept what some critics called an “unruly” smile for decades, and it’s served her incredibly well. Vogue once noted that her slightly misaligned tooth is exactly what makes her flawless face interesting. It’s a “beauty mark” in the most literal sense.
Steve Buscemi – The Character Actor’s Signature
Steve Buscemi is a certified legend, but he doesn’t exactly look like “Hollywood royalty.” And that’s the point. He’s famously joked that dentists have practically chased him down, offering to “fix” his teeth for free. His response? A polite but firm “absolutely not.”
Buscemi knows his mouth is basically his CV. If he walked into a casting office with a symmetrical, pearly-white row of veneers, he’d just be another face in the crowd. He’s carved out a massive career playing characters that are slightly on the edge, creepy, anxious, or just plain exhausted, and those crooked teeth do half the heavy lifting. As he told the Hollywood Reporter, he genuinely believes he wouldn’t get work if he changed them. In a world of “Turkey Teeth,” Steve is the ultimate reminder that having a bit of “un-perfect” character is a brilliant business move.
Kirsten Dunst – The “Snaggle Fang” Confidence
Kirsten Dunst famously kept her “snaggle fangs” after director Sofia Coppola told her they were cool when she was just 16. That one comment preserved her. She’s since called them “sexy” and essential to her character.
But honestly, the industry didn’t make it easy. During the Spider-Man days, a producer actually drove her to a dentist’s office without telling her where they were going, hoping she’d finally “fix” her smile. Dunst didn’t even get out of the car. She just said, “Mmmm, no, I need my teeth.”
Her real-life smile, however, remained exactly as is; even for the movies’ posters, the studio airbrushed her image to give her more of a “Barbie doll” look. It’s an outward manifestation of her comfort with herself, a reminder that you don’t need a symmetrical grin to become one of the most admired actresses of a generation. In 2026, her defiance of conformism seems less like a quirk and more like a brilliant career trajectory.
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Cynthia Erivo – The $2 Million Assets
Cynthia Erivo is a powerhouse, but her most “valuable” physical trait might be the space between her front teeth. In 2025, she reportedly partnered with Listerine and had her mouth insured for a cool $2 million. It’s a staggering sum, but it makes sense when you realise she’s built a global brand on being unapologetically herself.
That’s not an insurance policy for perfection; it’s an insurance policy for a trademark. She’s a famous stickler about her dental care, referring to her dental ritual as her “meditation” before taking the stage to sing those gravity-defying notes. In preserving her natural appearance, she’s proved that every young girl with a gap can take pride in it, not hide it, and make it the signature of your brand. Honestly, seeing her grin on a billboard is a massive win for anyone who’s ever felt pressured to conform to a boring, uniform standard of beauty.
Vanessa Paradis – The Gap That Never Needed Fixing
The French have a phrase for a gap between the teeth. Dents du bonheur. Lucky teeth. It sounds romantic because, in France, it kind of is. And if there’s one person who’s proved that point for decades, it’s Vanessa Paradis.
She became the face of Chanel while barely out of her teens. Billboards. Runways. Magazine covers. All while the cameras zoomed in on a smile that, by Hollywood standards, should’ve been “corrected” years ago. But it never was.
What makes her different isn’t just the gap itself. It’s the fact that she never tried to turn it into a statement. She didn’t give any speeches or slogans. She just kept showing up exactly as she was. While the fashion world flirted with the “gap look” on models for a season or two, Vanessa was never playing dress-up. That space between her teeth wasn’t a trend. It was just her face.
And over time, it stopped being a so-called flaw and became the thing people remembered. Not perfect. Not symmetrical. Completely her. Very French. And somehow, timeless.
Anna Paquin – Confidence Without The Polishing
Anna Paquin didn’t ease into fame. She won an Oscar as a child. Which means her appearance has been picked apart publicly for most of her life, whether she asked for it or not.
The thing is, she never seemed especially interested in playing along.
Her smile has always had that noticeable gap, and if it ever bothered her, she never let it show. Interviews over the years paint the same picture. She finds the obsession with flawless teeth strange. Not offensive. Just odd. Like worrying too much about something that doesn’t really matter.
Watch her on a red carpet, and you’ll see it straight away. No tight smile. No half-laugh behind a hand. She grins like someone who isn’t checking herself on a monitor. And that ease reads as confidence, even if she’d probably never describe it that way.
It’s refreshing, honestly. In an industry that often feels like it runs on invisible rulebooks, she’s ignored one quietly and consistently. Same smile. Same energy. No apology required.
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Uzo Aduba – When A Smile Carries History
Uzo Aduba’s relationship with her gap didn’t start with confidence. It started the way it does for a lot of people. Childhood insecurity. Feeling different. Wondering why your face doesn’t match what you see on TV.
That changed as she got older and began to understand where she came from.
In several West African cultures, including parts of Nigeria where her family roots lie, a gap between the front teeth isn’t something to hide. It’s admired. Associated with beauty, good fortune, and sometimes even prosperity. Knowing that reframed everything for her.
What once felt like something to fix became something to keep. Not out of defiance, but recognition. That her face carried more than personal taste. It carried culture.
She’s spoken about that shift openly, and it lands because it’s honest. Beauty isn’t universal. Standards move. Geography matters. Context matters. What gets labelled an imperfection in one place can be a point of pride somewhere else.
And when you see her smile now, it doesn’t look like a statement. It looks settled. Like someone who made peace with herself and never looked back.
Michael Strahan – The Gap Fans Refused To Lose
Michael Strahan’s gap has been famous almost as long as his football career. It showed up in every post-game interview and then followed him onto morning television. And he never tried to hide it. When his Hall of Fame bust was made, he even made sure that trademark smile stayed exactly the same.
Then in 2020, he posted a video that looked like he’d finally closed the gap. Fans panicked. Social media lit up with people saying he shouldn’t have changed it. Turns out, it was just a prank. Temporary work, nothing permanent.
The reaction said everything. People didn’t just accept his smile; they loved it. Seeing a Super Bowl champion and TV host keep his grin exactly as it is sends a pretty good message, especially to kids who get teased about theirs.
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Jewel – The Singer Who Kept Things Real
Jewel’s rise in the 90s came with acoustic songs, emotional lyrics, and a smile that didn’t fit pop music’s polished image. Slightly uneven teeth, no Hollywood makeover. Just her.
While many artists get pushed to smooth out every quirk, she never bothered. Fans connected with her because she felt genuine, not manufactured. Her look matched the honesty in her music.
Even now, she still performs with the same natural smile. No reinvention, no cosmetic storyline. Just a singer who stayed true to herself, and built a career that lasted because of it, not in spite of it.
Common Questions About Famous Smiles
Who is the most famous person with a gap in their teeth?
Madonna is probably the most famous for maintaining her “diastema” throughout her career. Other icons are Vanessa Paradis, Georgia May Jagger, and Cynthia Erivo
Why do some actors refuse to fix their crooked teeth?
Actors, including Steve Buscemi and Aimee Lou Wood, believe their teeth give them character and authenticity. A “perfect” smile can actually cause a character actor to be less credible in gritty or realistic roles.
Is it true that Cynthia Erivo insured her smile?
Yes, in July 2025, Listerine insured her mouth for $2 million as part of their “Wash Your Mouth” campaign, highlighting her iconic gap as a valuable asset.
What are ‘Turkey Teeth’ and why are people avoiding them now?
‘Turkey Teeth’ are ultra-white, square veneers often gotten abroad. By 2026, many are avoiding them because they require damaging healthy teeth and often look artificial compared to today’s “natural” trend.
Final Reflections
So the next time you’re frowning into a mirror, staring at that one tooth that never got the memo about standing in line properly, just remember: you’re in good company. You’re sharing a look with some of the world’s most successful, talented, and beautiful individuals. Perfection is boring; character is everything.
Anyhow, I’m off in search of a good cup of tea. Have we moved on at last from the “perfect” look, or is this but a detour before the next aesthetic mania?
Sources & References
Aimee Lou Wood
- The Jonathan Ross Show (March 2025): Aimee Lou Wood on Her Natural Smile
Keira Knightley
- British Vogue: Keira Knightley’s Best Beauty Moments
Steve Buscemi
- The Hollywood Reporter: Drama Actor Roundtable: Steve Buscemi
Kirsten Dunst
- The Independent: Kirsten Dunst: Spider-Man and the Dentist Story
Cynthia Erivo
- People Magazine: Cynthia Erivo on Performance Rituals
- Consequence: Listerine Insures Erivo’s Mouth for $2 Million
Vanessa Paradis
- The Guardian: Interview: Vanessa Paradis on ‘Lucky Teeth’
Michael Strahan
- Sports Illustrated: Strahan’s April Fools’ Gap Prank
- Official X (Twitter): #GoodbyeGap Reveal Video
Uzo Aduba
- One54 Africa: The Cultural Meaning of Tooth Gaps
