Gemma Arterton Says She Had To Resist “Pressure” From Director To Film Unplanned Sex Scene

Jake Kanter
·1 min read

Gemma Arterton has revealed that she once had to resist pressure from an unnamed director to film a sex scene that was written to take place off-camera.

Arterton, who has performed alongside Daniel Craig in James Bond movie Quantum of Solace and is currently starring in The Critic, said she “flat out” rejected the director’s demand.

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In an interview with The Radio Times, the actress said: “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.’

“He put pressure on us on the day. The other actor, God bless him, was mortified. There were very high-profile people there.”

Arterton said she only felt able to push back on the request because she was older and more experienced. She added that the request pre-dated intimacy coordinators, who are now a mainstay on film and TV sets.

“Anything you’re not comfortable with is not going to happen,” she said. “I’ve heard other actors that are like, ‘I loved it when there was no intimacy coordinator,’ but I definitely think it’s better.”

Arterton is no stranger to noting her discomfort at sex scenes, speaking out against them after featuring in The Escape in 2018. “The thing I hate about sex scenes is when they’re pornographic — wide shots with bright lights and naked bodies,” she said.

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