‘West Wing’ Creator, 65, Steals Show With Shocking Tan
Fans wondered if the Oscar-winning screenwriter had fallen asleep at the pool.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin faces a social reckoning over his bronze new look.
On Tuesday, the 65-year-old West Wing creator walked the blue carpet in London for the Gala Screening of his new film, The Social Reckoning, a sequel to Sorkin’s Oscar-winning 2010 hit The Social Network.
Sorkin wore a gray suit with a white button-up shirt, a warm gray tie, brown leather shoes, and oval tortoise glasses for the occasion.
Photos of Sorkin with the film’s stars, Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White, spread on social media, prompting some people to wonder about the absence of Jeremy Strong, who took over Jesse Eisenberg’s role as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Most commenters, however, focused on Sorkin’s fresh tan.
Aaron Sorkin, Mikey Madison, and Jeremy Allen White at the U.K. Gala Screening of “The Social Reckoning” on September 29, 2026.
Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images
“Did he fall asleep by the pool?!” One person quipped in the comments on Deadline’s Instagram post of the trio. “Aaron, are you OK?” Another asked.
Aaron Sorkin's deep-bronze hue stole the show at the Sept. 29 "Social Reckoning" premiere.
Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
Some said Sorkin looked like he’d just come out of a bodybuilding competition, where participants are strongly encouraged to undergo a deep spray tan, while others compared his new tan to the color of his brown leather shoes.
Sign up to receive news and updates from The Looker
By clicking “Sign Up” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“Aaron really went all out in the tanning bed the morning of this red carpet,” one fan wrote.
Aaron Sorkin shocked fans with his new tan look. Pictured here in June 2025 and September 2026.
Gilbert Flores;Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
Sony Pictures U.K. also posted a photo of Sorkin with Madison and White on Instagram, and commenters quickly came up with new nicknames for the tan screenwriting legend.
“Aaron Soakin sunlight,” one person wrote. Another called him “Aaron Sore-skin” and a third, “Aaron Sorangekin.” TMZ declared the screenwriter “Aaron Scorchin.”
Online commenters were mainly focused on Aaron Sorkin’s tan.
Instagram/Deadline
This wasn’t the first time Sorkin showed off bronzed skin on the red carpet, but this tan, which some online commenters called “aggressive,” was his most dramatic yet.
It is unclear whether the shade was achieved on a vacation or with the help of a self-tanner, a tanning bed, or a spray tan, but many commenters compared Sorkin’s tan to that of President Donald Trump.
Although his new film covers many political events, like the January 6 Capitol riot, Sorkin told Politico on Tuesday that Trump would not be mentioned in the movie.
Aaron Sorkin won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “The Social Network” in 2011.
Mike Blake/Reuters
“I felt like as soon as we got to that scene, as soon as you saw anything ‘Trump,’ it would just become about something else,” he said, explaining that red hats or mentions of the president would be a “distraction.”
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…