{"id":6910,"date":"2026-07-23T17:19:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T16:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/?p=6910"},"modified":"2026-07-23T17:19:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T16:19:55","slug":"the-odyssey-why-everyones-complaining-about-iphone-face","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/2026\/07\/23\/the-odyssey-why-everyones-complaining-about-iphone-face\/","title":{"rendered":"Why everyone\u2019s complaining about iPhone face after \u2018struggling\u2019 with The Odyssey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christopher Nolan has done it again, with The Odyssey proving to be yet another feat in filmmaking. But that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s completely free of criticism, as the old \u201ciPhone face\u201d debate<\/a> has crept back in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, that\u2019s not to say Nolan didn\u2019t go all out on authenticity. Yes, the script for Homer\u2019s 3,000-year-old epic was made modern and the story changed, but the film used real, practical set pieces, from a legit Viking ship<\/a> to the infamous Trojan horse<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The cast was also carefully curated, with a long list of Hollywood heavyweights including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya<\/a>, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But while the star power has undoubtedly helped turn the film into a box office phenomenon, it’s also sparked a debate, with some viewers complaining about iPhone face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Lily-Rose
Credit: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the uninitiated, iPhone face is a term used to describe actors who essentially look too modern to convincingly appear in a period or historical film or TV show.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s most commonly associated with cosmetic procedures such as lip and facial fillers or veneers, but it can also be used to describe actors who have notably modern facial characteristics, Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp being prime examples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even Millie Bobby Brown<\/a> came under fire for having a \u201cfresh gel set\u201d in a promo shot for Enola Holmes 3.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Elaborating on the topic, Michael Sheehan, a behavioural ecologist and associate professor at Cornell University, told <\/span>Dazed<\/span><\/a> that our facial features have diversified over time, but evolution isn\u2019t the reason for the iPhone face phenomenon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe perceived differences in appearance of people between the mid-20th century and now is almost certainly the result of stylistic, grooming or diet changes rather than facial evolution,\u201d Sheehan explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Pulling up to 1885 with a fresh gel set pic.twitter.com\/21LPbROhNT<\/a><\/p>\n

— Redd (@ReddCinema) May 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n