Let’s be honest for a second. If you’ve spent any time watching Grey’s Anatomy or caught a rerun of Felicity lately, you’ve probably noticed something about Scott Speedman. It isn’t just that rugged, slightly moody charm he’s been perfected since the late 90s. It’s his mouth. Specifically, his teeth.
People on the internet are obsessed. Seriously.
If you dive into any Reddit thread about Animal Kingdom or his more recent stint as Dr. Nick Marsh, you’ll see the same comments popping up like clockwork. "Why hasn't he gotten veneers?" or "What’s going on with his front teeth?" It’s a weirdly polarizing topic for a guy who is, by almost any standard, a massive heartthrob. But there’s a reason his smile looks the way it does, and it has more to do with personal brand and authenticity than a lack of a good dentist.
The "Non-Hollywood" Smile
Most actors in their late 40s have what I call the "Chiclet" look. You know the one—perfectly straight, blindingly white, and roughly the same shape as a pack of chewing gum. It’s the standard Hollywood upgrade. Scott Speedman, however, has stubbornly (and refreshingly) kept his natural teeth.
His front teeth have a distinct character. They’re slightly crowded, a bit uneven, and he has a minor chip that’s been there for years. In some scenes, especially when he’s talking quickly, it almost gives him a slight, endearing lisp. For some viewers, this is a "distraction." For others, it’s exactly why he feels like a real person on screen rather than a manufactured star.
Honestly, it’s kind of a vibe.
In a 2022 interview with InStyle, Speedman joked that his heartthrob status probably expired a decade ago. He seems remarkably unbothered by the "perfection" requirements of the industry. While fans on social media sometimes post vomit emojis—his words, not mine—about his return to Grey’s, he mostly just laughs it off. He’s more focused on the work and, lately, his life as a new dad.
Why He Won't Get Veneers
You’ve got to remember where Speedman came from. He wasn’t some kid who went to acting school hoping to be the next Brad Pitt. He was a competitive swimmer. He was on the Canadian Junior National Team and ranked ninth in the 1992 Olympic trials before a neck injury sidelined his career.
That athlete mentality—that "take me as I am" grit—seems to have stayed with him.
When he landed the role of Ben Covington on Felicity, he was the "brooding hot guy." But he was always a little messy. That was the appeal. If he showed up tomorrow with a $50,000 set of porcelain veneers, he’d lose that specific "rough around the edges" quality that makes him believable in shows like Teacup or The Strangers.
The Natural Aging of a Heartthrob
There is a massive amount of pressure on actors to stop the clock. But Speedman has leaned into the "lived-in" look.
- The Gravelly Voice: It’s gotten deeper and more textured with age.
- The Facial Lines: He hasn't frozen his face into a mask.
- The Teeth: They remain the same ones we saw in Underworld twenty years ago.
Actually, if you look at his dental structure, it contributes to his specific facial geometry. He has a very narrow palate and thin lips. This often makes his teeth appear more prominent when he speaks. Changing them wouldn't just be about "straightening" a smile; it would literally change the way his face moves.
What the Fans Say (The Good and the Weird)
The discourse around Scott Speedman's teeth is a wild mix of "fix them" and "don't you dare touch them."
On one side, you have the "Animal Kingdom" fans who found his mouth area "distracting" during intense scenes as Baz. They argue that a guy with his net worth should have "fixed" the chips and crowding years ago. But then you have the die-hards who find the imperfection incredibly sexy. There’s something humanizing about a guy who is 49 years old and still looks like a guy you’d meet at a local bar in Toronto rather than a CGI version of a human.
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One Reddit user put it perfectly: "He’s interesting to look at. Like Tom Hardy. He has character."
That’s the keyword. Character. ## Real Evidence of Dental Consistency
If you go back and watch Underworld (2003), his teeth are exactly the same as they are in 2026. The slight overlap of the incisors is there. The way his mouth moves when he’s "wolfing out" reveals the same dental map. The fact that he hasn't changed them in 20+ years of being a leading man tells you everything you need to know about his priorities.
He isn't trying to win a "Best Smile" award. He’s trying to be an actor who feels authentic.
Actionable Takeaway: The Value of Imperfection
What can we actually learn from Scott Speedman's refusal to succumb to the veneer trend?
- Identity is better than perfection. Your "flaws" are often what make you recognizable. In a world of AI-generated faces, being a "hot mess" (as some critics called his character in RJ Decker) is a competitive advantage.
- Confidence is the best aesthetic. Speedman’s charm comes from the fact that he doesn't seem to notice—or care—that people are dissecting his dental records.
- Longevity matters. Actors who maintain their natural features often have longer, more interesting "character actor" phases of their careers because they haven't aged themselves out of relatability.
Next time you see him on screen, instead of wondering why he hasn't called a cosmetic dentist, try noticing how much more expressive his performances are because he hasn't messed with his natural anatomy. It’s a rare thing in Hollywood these days.
Don't let the "perfect" look on Instagram fool you into thinking that’s the only way to be attractive. Sometimes, a chipped tooth and a bit of crowding is exactly what makes a star actually shine.