There used to be a time when braces were something you hid because it was embarrassing to reveal a mouth filled with metal reinforcements and rubber bands. The grills that some kids and even adults used to rock were horrendous and might elicit an involuntary scream just by looking at them. But over the years braces have been making a bit of a comeback and have been used in a number of different TV shows and films to greater extent. Sometimes they’re a prime focal point, other times they’re just there and don’t mean anything. But they’re almost always noticeable.
Here are a few adults, some posing as adolescents, that have been seen rocking braces on the big screen.
Donald Faison – Clueless
You might know him better as Turk from the TV show Scrubs, but Donald was one of those stars that was sometimes thrown into the mix just to get another appearance on his resume and of course to build experience. He’s definitely one of the funnier actors in the film and somehow able to put up with Cher and her friends. That alone makes him a special kind of person.
Ben Stiller – There’s Something About Mary
It’s kind of surprising anyone even remembers that Stiller was rocking braces in this film when you compare that to the franks n’ beans scene. You know what I’m talking about, don’t ask for further details. As his goofy teenage persona however he was in full on metal mode every time he opened his mouth. It’s almost amazing that he could smile in the open sunlight and not blind someone.
Lyle Lovett – The New Guy
While this clip doesn’t really show the braces Dizzy’s dad goes nuts and gets what he calls the “full metal jacket” which is fairly accurate considering that he has more metal in his mouth than anything else. With the way these braces look it’s easy to assume that anything he puts into his mouth gets diced up as if it’s been tossed into a Cuisinart.
William H. Macy – Magnolia
It might be hard to imagine but some people actually do have an oral fixation that drives them to actually want braces. While many people might need them few people actually want them, especially after they get them. They’re irritating, they need to be cleaned consistently, and they can be a real pain when it comes to eating certain foods. So why in the world would anyone want them if they didn’t really need them? Well, some people tend to think they need things to build their confidence, and perfectly straight teeth definitely makes that list.
Drew Barrymore – Never Been Kissed
Once again it’s just the teenage persona that wears the braces in this one, but Drew Barrymore looks almost completely different as Josey Grossy. Sadly she kind of earns the degrading nickname because in all honesty she looks kind of like a female Pigpen from Peanuts. But thankfully that all goes away as she grows up, well, kind of.
Braces on adults might look a little funny if they’re overdone for comedic purposes, but in truth they’re becoming a lot more common.
Follow Us
