Uzo Aduba’s smile usually radiates through any room, and it does so, particularly on a dreary Tuesday during our Zoom meeting to discuss Colgate’s newest campaign, which champions confidence through embracing individuality. One of Aduba’s signature trademarks, outside of her distinctive voice, is the gap in her smile. It was one of the first things we talked about, and while chuckling, she told me, “I obviously have a gap and have not closed my gap.” She has no issues celebrating that unique part of herself and naturally encourages others to accept it. Like Aduba, Colgate celebrates differences—in people and their smiles. However, today’s media landscape tends to tell a different story, as most online and TV personalities boast nearly identical sets of straight, gleaming teeth with no gaps, as many opt to receive veneers. It’s no wonder why 65% of Gen Z respondents reported that pressure to have a perfect smile negatively impacts their confidence, and 85% would like to change their smiles.
Colgate wants to remind people everywhere, especially Gen Z, that their most beautiful smile is theirs. That’s why Colgate is launching the My Smile is My Superpower campaign today by unveiling an original music video: “The Beauty of Gaps.” It celebrates a range of smiles and includes a whistled take on the empowering anthem, “Roar.” Through this campaign, Colgate aims to show everyone, once and for all, that all smiles are beautiful smiles, no matter their size, shape, or shade.
“When I was younger, I fixated on the gap in my teeth—so much so that it kept me from smiling and being authentically myself,” said Aduba. “It wasn’t until I discovered that my smile is representative of my family’s Anyaoku heritage that I started to see it as a source of confidence and pride. I’m excited to be partnering with Colgate to share my smile story in the hopes of inspiring others to own their smiles just the way they are.”
To help the next generation tackle life head-on with a confident smile, Colgate is committed to reaching 250,000 kids in the United States with smile confidence resources by the end of 2024 through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) program. Established in 1991, the BSBF program has reached approximately 1.7 billion children in more than 100 countries worldwide. The program strategically partners to reach underserved children and their families where they are born, live, work, learn and play. BSBF promotes health equity, optimal health, and well-being and leads global social impact efforts that empower children and families to achieve healthy and bright futures.
“Our research has shown that when your smile doesn’t match the idealized version portrayed in the world, it’s easy to doubt its beauty,” said Diana Haussling, SVP & GM of Consumer Experience & Growth at Colgate. “We at Colgate know that there is power in every smile, and I am proud that with this initiative, we are providing resources to help kids smile with confidence wherever they go.”
Uzo and Colgate are setting out to remind people that uniformity does not equal beauty—individuality does.
We spoke to the award-winning actress about why she’s passionate about this campaign, how she juggles motherhood, and her plans to instill confidence in her newborn daughter, just as her late mother did with her.
ESSENCE: Your smile is so memorable. And it exudes confidence. Can you speak about the recent partnership with Colgate and how you aim to inspire confidence among other young adults?
Uzo Aduba: This partnership felt so wonderfully beautiful to me. I love the idea of being a part of it and inspiring other young people to celebrate their smiles just as they are. There’s something really beautiful about this campaign, which says that your smile is your superpower. When I was a young person, I didn’t know that, and I think that it took me some time to grow into that.
I want to help inspire other young people to find confidence in their own smiles, realize individuality and uniqueness, and realize that the definition of a great smile is actually just the one they already own.
Definitely. How does it resonate with you specifically? I mean, you have a beautiful smile, and you own your confidence. But is there a particular point campaign that encouraged you to continue to embrace your smile as your superpower?
Yeah, you know, I spent many years in my youth not smiling because everybody was getting braces, fixing their teeth, and making them straight. So, I started to internalize that to mean that the opposite must be ugly. I wanted to fix myself. And it wasn’t until my senior year in high school when I was getting my senior yearbook portrait picture. The photographer told me that I had a beautiful smile. And I suddenly heard it for the first time. I began to embrace myself. This is my gap, my teeth, and I think it’s beautiful. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.
I love that. Where did you start getting that confidence, though? You just mentioned that you weren’t as confident when you were younger.
My mom constantly tried to remind us that we were fine, just as we are, that these ideas and ideals of what is supposed to be considered beautiful or what is supposed to hold space. We, just as we matter, are important. By the time I got into working in New York, I had an exchange with the first agency I ever met with; they asked me and said, you know, we think you’re great. We would love to work with you and said, “What about that gap? Are we keeping it?” I suddenly found myself at a crossroads, like, Should I close it? Is this going to keep me from being able to work? Then I remembered my mom’s voice again, so I said, “Yeah, we’re keeping it.”
I knew who I was and how I would move and exist. If that was disruptive or uncomfortable for anybody, that wasn’t my problem.
Right. That’s so powerful, especially in Hollywood, I can imagine, although sometimes you are confident, and some doubt might creep in. But what kind of keeps you on solid ground, despite any other type of criticism or outside noise from critics or naysayers?
I think firstly, remembering the place from whence I came. I come from a strong, resilient, ambitious, driven people. Also, my family keeps me grounded. Also, keeping strong roots and contact with my friends whom I’ve known and who’ve known me all my life helps. Even more strongly, I think that the nuclear family I have created keeps me grounded and supported.
My husband’s a fantastic champion and cheerleader for me, and it’s just a reminder of that fight and then backbone to keep holding on to myself. I think that those are the things that keep you grounded.
Speaking of your own nuclear family, which is very exciting, can you describe your life as a new mother? What’s shifted the most?
My life now as a new mother feels more full and complete. I have described it often, and we learn many keys to the meaning of life along the way. I don’t think children hold all of them, but I do think they hold one of them, and she (my daughter) certainly has been that for me. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel excited to learn from and teach from her. I’ve been excited by the idea, and I’m especially back at work now.
I had an excellent model of a mother; I loved her so much. She taught me the principles and guided me through what can come from hard work and putting in one’s best energy and efforts. I hope to pass that on to her. I hope to show her, even at this early stage, what it means to go after your dreams, go after your passions, and live your life to the fullest.
What life lessons around confidence do you plan to instill in your daughter?
That’s a great question. I want her to know that as she is right now, how she came into this world is enough. I want her to know how to stand up for herself to speak her mind. That ambition is not a dirty word. I want to show her how to enjoy life and that this life is to be enjoyed.
Quick tips for our readers on juggling motherhood and going back to work?
Being willing to recognize that it’s different now does not mean that you cannot still pursue your dreams at the highest level, it does mean you have to figure out how to organize them. It means my approach is different. If you’re a woman who loves what you do and your job like I do, a part of me being a great mother is being able to continue doing that and doing it at a high level. Because that fills me in a way, I also have something to pour into her (my daughter’s) cup.
How are you continuing your mother’s legacy? She has instilled so much into you, and you aim to do the same with your daughter.
I can’t even put it into words. Through my parenting, I am constantly reminded that she lives in me. She comes out. I was so nervous because she was not here, so I thought, What am I going to be able to do? I don’t have the things to hand over. And then I didn’t realize she had already. Her guidance was baked into me. That’s how our memory lives strongly. Also, in the morning, when I get to wake my daughter up, I sing the song to her that my mom used to sing to me when she would wake my brothers and sisters and me, and that’s something I got a little jewelry box made of it that plays you know music box plays the song and has the words written on it. And I sing it to her; that is how she lights up when she sees me. It feels like I bring my mom into the room daily.