A Face for the Algorithm
Have you ever watched a period piece but can't get over the modern look of the actress's face? How the sharp cat eyes, perfectly straight, blinding white teeth, and acrylic nails don't quite match the historical setting of the rest of the film. Well, the rest of the internet can't get over it either. Introducing the term “iPhone Face” to social media, letting it infiltrate search bars and people’s subconscious.
But what is “iPhone Face?” iPhone Face is a term describing a person, often an actor or actress, whose features and overall modern appearance make them seem too modern for a historical setting, as if they “know what an iPhone is.”
One of the earlier cases occurred around 2019, when a Twitter user shared their opinion on the historical film “The King,” set in the Middle Ages. They believe Timothée Chalamet and Lily Rose-Depp were miscast because their faces do not fit the historical setting, as they have features that make them seem as if they “know what an iPhone is.” Over time, the expression has also been used for a multitude of other actors and actresses in other historical-set films. Michelle Randolph in “1923,” Dakota Johnson in “Emma,” Florence Pugh in “Little Women,” and Millie Bobby Brown in Enola Holmes.
In a lot of ways, having an “iPhone face” almost seems inherently negative and something people should look out for. “It can be harmful to people, where no one wants to be told they have an iPhone face. So, it is honestly becoming a term that I could see being harmful in ways, and I’m sure it already has been.” An LIM College student voices her concern about this expression. Stating how loosely this term is being used online and in person, and how it could also become a new insecurity to look out for.
People online even use the term “iPhone face” to uplift their own features and those of others. Small trends among TikTok users include posting their faces, highlighting their features, and stating how happy they feel knowing they don't have “iPhone face” and have more “timeless features.”
But on the flip side, actors and actresses without “iPhone face” face backlash and hate for not meeting the more modern, widespread beauty standard.
Bella Ramsey, an actor who played Ellie in The Last of Us, gets targeted and backlash for not looking like their character. “Despite Ramsey identifying as non–binary, much of the criticism they received comes through a gendered lens, rooted in ideas of how a female protagonist “should” look and act.”
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, an actress, found herself at the receiving end of a barrage of hate and backlash online after being cast in a 2024 production of Romeo & Juliet.
Halle Bailey, a singer/songwriter and actress, faced a hate campaign after being cast as Ariel in the 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, with some using the infamous #notmyariel hashtag.
The popularity of social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok has led to the widespread promotion of Eurocentric beauty standards that overshadow other cultural beauty ideals. As a result, the rise of a distinctly modern face ignores the diversity and uniqueness of people's faces; hence, the term “iPhone Face” is used to describe a uniform beauty ideal in our society.
The masses claim to desire more new and diverse faces, yet they fall apart at the sight of diverse faces on their screens. In many ways, it can be very overwhelming and disheartening to face these facts. It’s very easy to get caught up in factors like the term “iPhone Face” and beauty standards, especially when they infiltrate movies and shows.
But it's always good to recognize that one can separate a human's value from their appearance. To remember to uplift and fully appreciate oneself as a whole. It's essential information to recall how we are free to live, feel, think, and look however we want.