LOS ANGELES: Gemma Arterton has discussed an unsettling experience on set where a director demanded that she and her co-star film an intimate scene that was previously unscheduled. The revelation highlights challenges faced by actors in the film industry.
In an interview with The Radio Times, the King’s Man star recounted a troubling incident where the director insisted on filming an indecent scene that was originally scripted to occur off-camera with only audio cues.
Arterton recalled, “I remember being on a set once and the director said, ‘You’re going to shag on the bed.’ And I said, ‘No, this scene was written for us to be off-screen, so you just hear the noises. I’d never have accepted the role if it was going to be filmed.’”
According to Arterton, the director applied considerable pressure on the day of the shoot, which left both her and her co-star in an uncomfortable position. “The other actor, God bless him, was mortified. There were very high-profile people there,” she added.
Arterton’s experience highlights the evolution of industry standards regarding intimate scenes. She noted that this incident occurred before the implementation of intimacy coordinators, professionals who ensure actors’ comfort and consent during filming intimate or sensitive scenes.
In her interview, Arterton expressed her belief in the positive impact of intimacy coordinators, saying, “Anything you’re not comfortable with is not going to happen. I’ve heard other actors that are like, ‘I loved it when there was no intimacy coordinator,’ but I definitely think it’s better.”
This isn’t the first time Arterton has voiced her concerns about intimate scenes in film. In a 2018 interview with The Escape, she criticized scenes she found overly explicit or gratuitous.
