A Smile You Can’t Look Away From

“Alright!” the Assistant Director shouts. “Let’s take 5!”

I’d just finished the close up shot and the guys needed a few minutes to reset for the wide. A PA escorts me off set and into a holding area ostensibly to keep me safe, but realistically to keep me out of the way. I tend to get curious when lights and cameras come whizzing by. How many watts is your light? An Arri 35, huh? Can I see your f-stops?

“Do I have time to grab a quick bite?” I ask. I’m not even hungry, but breakfast was so good I wanted a second helping. Avocado toast and chia seed pudding with fresh fruit? What could go wrong?

The commercial is for Lumineux’s toothpaste, which gives people a bright healthy looking smile people can’t look away from. This gag is that it’s so bright, the fictitious camera man can’t stop zooming in on my kisser. Because we were shooting such a tight shot of my mouth—it sounds creepier than it is—the guys rigged up a teleprompter with a live feed from the camera, which, essentially, was my mouth, so I could move around but still stay on screen.

I walk off set and am greeted by the warmest smile I’ve seen all day, including my own.

“You are hilarious!” the brand director says as she gives a huge hug. “I keep seeing this guy as a recurring character!”

Had she stopped at “hilarious” I could have died a happy man. As someone who spends an inordinate amount of time trying to be funny, that’s high praise. But then to add a hug? Like a real, wrap-your-arms-around-another-human-being kind of hugs, and not one of those tap-the-back-shoulder-two-times kind of hugs? That’s just too much.

I blush. “It’s so much fun up there. Thanks so much for having me.”

I quickly grab another chia seed pudding, eat it, and head back to set. I look into the teleprompter.

“Uh… Can we take another five? Also, does anyone have toothpaste?”