From porcelain pale skin to splotchy orange tans, beauty standards have undoubtedly evolved throughout the years. With actors serving as the face of Hollywood, each decade maintains a signature characteristic such as cupid bow lips or matte makeup. Due to plastic surgery exploding into popularity during the 2010s, changing one’s appearance to keep up with the latest trends turns complicated. The rise of permanent beauty treatments dates people’s appearances, causing actors to obviously look like individuals from the 21st century who use iPhones — hence the term “iPhone face.” When actors with cosmetic surgeries assume roles in period pieces, their characters look noticeably out of place, which breaks the immersion in period dramas.
Not only do cosmetic surgeries contribute to the modern look but also the styling of characters. In order to appeal to the viewer, stylists may choose to tailor characters’ looks according to modern beauty standards. This creative choice commonly backfires when audiences notice elements that obviously originated from a future century. For example, society found sideburns widely attractive in the 19th century; however, audiences today tend to find sideburns unappealing. Stylists might attempt to work in favor of viewers by providing the character with a modern haircut, yet certain styles — like Cillian Murphy’s undercut in “Peaky Blinders” — appear laughably out of place.
“I don’t like when movies are supposed to represent the 1900s, 1800s or 1600s, and they start adding lashes, nails and makeup to the person. That’s unrealistic and something you would not see back then. These characters also have to portray such complex emotions and not being able to move their foreheads due to Botox limits their expressions. When you watch a show or movie that has good acting and good styling, you forget that what you’re watching isn’t actually real, but when I see that a character that is supposedly from like the 1700s has a full gel X set and is in full glam, it just snaps me back to reality and breaks that illusion,” sophomore Remy Gothany said.
Although character styling plays a role, certain actors naturally possess face types that fit period pieces. Proponents may even argue that the label “iPhone face” discriminates against actors with angular features, which misplaces the blame that people should instead place on stylists and scriptwriters. While fans should not bash nor blame anyone, this argument still continues to traduce the cause of “iPhone face.” Casting directors should prioritize actors who fit the role instead of choosing popular household names. Actors, such as Bella Ramsey, preferably align with historical roles because of their softer facial features, unlike celebrities with plastic surgery, such as Sydney Sweeney.
“Some parts [of period films] may stray away from historical accuracy in order to try to make more money or appeal to the modern audience. But, it backfires in a way, because it makes it less appealing to watch as it’s not really what the audience is looking for. Although it’s not the actor’s fault and maybe they weren’t the best person to cast for that role, the style could play a part. Obviously, in a period piece, [characters] normally have historically accurate clothing, and if the style is also too modern, it can also stray from the plot. In some cases, it can add to the plot, and it can add to the creativity and the uniqueness. I think it just depends on the piece and the preferences of the audience,” magnet sophomore Robyn Djomoah said.
Overall, casting actors and styling choices ultimately contribute to how audiences perceive characters. Movie and show runners hold the ability to prevent cases of “iPhone face” and backlash against actors. Although changing styling elements to better appeal to audiences connects with viewers to an extent, finding the perfect balance between modern taste and recognizable historical accuracy should stand as the primary focus. Regardless, show and film runners ought to analyze what audiences want to see from complete historical exactness or romantic storytelling, to truly earn the rightful throne in fans’ hearts.
