‘Nine Perfect Strangers’: Is Samara Weaving Wearing Fake Teeth in the Hulu Series?
Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers boasts an all-star lineup of talent, most of whom viewers will recognize from other films and series. Samara Weaving is one such star, best known for her roles in The Babysitter and Ready or Not. In Nine Perfect Strangers, Weaving plays one of the guests attending Masha’s (Nicole Kidman) retreat at Tranquillum House. She may be difficult to place at first, if only because the actor altered her appearance for the Hulu series.
Who does Samara Weaving play in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’?
Weaving plays Jessica Chandler in Nine Perfect Strangers, a young influencer who wants to fix her marriage. That’s the primary reason she attends the 10-day retreat at Tranquillum House. However, her problems with Ben (Melvin Gregg) are far from the only insecurities she faces while she’s there.
In fact, Jessica’s obsession with social media is quickly becoming a sore spot for her. Weaving plays her conflict well. On the one hand, Jessica longs to live a life that means something to other people — and she seeks that validation through comments and likes. It’s clear she’s ashamed of her dependency on those things, however, something that comes up in conversations with Masha and the other guests.
According to Weaving, the television adaptation of the character — who also appears in Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name — also struggles with body dysmorphia. That explains Jessica’s complaints about her appearance in episode 3, something Carmel (Regina Hall) and the other characters seem shocked by.
Is Samara Weaving wearing fake teeth in the Hulu series?
According to Weaving, the cast of Nine Perfect Strangers didn’t recognize her when she transformed into her character. Weaving’s efforts went beyond the usual hair and makeup routine. During an interview with Digital Spy, she revealed that she used a fake tan, fake teeth, and elongated nails to bring Jessica to life:
“The first day of filming, when we did the camera tests, I had lots of fake tan and really long nails. I had wire pulling my face up to help give me that facelift kind of look, and fake teeth. And the makeup team did an incredible job. [Makeup artist] Sian Howard really gave my lips that puffy look.”
Of course, these efforts convey how much work Jessica puts into her own appearance. Given her discomfort with her own looks, it makes sense the character would turn to such things to feel better. The methods Jessica would use to enhance her appearance, however, made Weaving almost unrecognizable to her fellow cast members:
“No one recognized me. My phone wouldn’t open when it saw my face. Everyone’s reaction and their behaviour shifted based on how I looked, even though they knew I wasn’t Jessica. [Co-star] Regina [Hall] didn’t recognize me at all. She was like, ‘Who’s that?'”
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ changed the star’s views on influencers
According to Weaving, her work on Nine Perfect Strangers forced her to contend with some of her own perspectives about women, and specifically, influencers. Speaking with W Magazine, the actor reflected on society’s tendency to condemn women who alter their appearances like Jessica:
“Jessica made me think about my perception of women and where I’m at fault, in snap judgments that are anti-feminist. I’m sure it’s from growing up in this misogynistic, nuts culture, but I had to unlearn certain things about myself — like the fact that certain women who dress a certain way and get a lot of work done are judged and gossiped about. The way someone like Jessica presents herself externally is by no means who she is internally.”
By diving deeper into Jessica’s character, Nine Perfect Strangers will push viewers to confront their own biases. Of course, that’s true of the show’s entire ensemble cast, all of whom are more than they seem. If the Hulu series proves anything, it’s that individuals from all walks of life face insecurities, trauma, and grief.
