# How do actors do naked sex scenes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 18, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854 "2008-03-18T22:40:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/1 "2008-03-18T22:40:30Z")
Okay, I know that, beyond kissing, sex scenes are simulated (well, except for those in the porn industry). How do actors simulate copulation when there are multiple close ups of nakedness, or when the man is obviously thrusting, or when the woman is on top and moving very realistically. How do they keep the naughty parts from meeting or causing arousal? I assume the actors aren’t really naked, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/2 "2008-03-18T22:50:30Z")
The level of nudity in a film or scene in a mainstream film is negotiated in advance of shooting. I have read various interviews with filmmakers in which they state that the nude or semi-nude scenes are shot first, so that the actors can’t several weeks into production declare that they’ve changed their minds about performing naked. In some of those same sources, actresses have said that they put tape over their nipples so that if the camera strays into areas where it shouldn’t the shot is unusable because of the visible tape. With the level of visual effects these days I can’t imagine some tape showing in the frame is that great a challenge to filmmakers. Men wear “cock socks,” semi-fitted tube-like garments that go over the genitals. I don’t know what women do to prevent their pubic regions from being filmed, although I suppose they could wear g-strings and the visual effects people could digitally remove the straps from their buttocks. Again referring to the various interviews I’ve read, a number of performers have said that a movie set is a staggeringly un-erotic place. Yes, they’re naked or semi-naked in bed with a beautiful co-star. Milling around their beautiful co-star-filled bed are dozens of crew members. Not an atmosphere conducive to erotic mishaps. I recall a quote from an actor from several years ago. For some reason I remember it being Denzel Washington who said it. Supposedly, he said to an actress with whom he had an intimate scene, “One of two things is about to happen. Either way, I apologize.” ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/3 "2008-03-18T22:51:36Z")
[QUOTE=Sycorax] …I assume the actors aren’t really naked, but still… [/QUOTE] It depends on how much is show, the actors’ preferences, and the director’s preferences. In North America actors tend to wear a flesh-colored modesty pouch (aka cock sock) when doing non-frontal nude scenes. On edit, Otto’s right about any nude scenes being planned in detail before filming. The Screen Actors’ Guild has very specific rules about nudity; every detail must be written into the contract. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/4 "2008-03-18T22:56:15Z")
There’s a probably apocryphal tale about two Hollywood Golden Age actors, each of whom had to do a sex scene with the same young starlet. The younger actor spoke to her one day on set, very carefully saying, “My dear, I have the utmost respect for you as a professional, and I want to assure you I mean no harm, but sometimes, nature is stronger than man. Please do not take offense should I become aroused during filming!” And the older actor overheard, and said to her, “My dear, regarding our scene, please do not take offense should I \*not \*become aroused during filming!” 😃 The truth is that a film set is a very unsexy place, with hot lights and lots of people staring at you and powdering you and the director asking you to move into beautiful, yet very uncomfortable positions while you’re worrying if your ass is too big. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/5 "2008-03-19T03:02:36Z")
having done an ordinary onstage kiss with a fellow actor in a play, i can totally assure you that the whole process is ‘staggeringly unerotic’ indeed. and he was really cute, too! 😛 you have to choreograph every single move you make - after all, it’s just more stage blocking - right down to who is going to tilt their head left and who is going right. he and i decided in advance which of us was doing what. we had to. the first time we tried it we bumped our teeth together! and while we’re kissing we’re also trying to remember… how many kisses the director wants. where are the hands going? how close do we have to hold one another? where are we supposed to end up at the end of which kiss? stage left or right? up or down? what about the dialogue? who’s gonna say what between which kiss? not only that, we had to make our way to a neaby couch whilst undoing a button or two on each other - all while waiting for the stage phone to ring for our final cue in this scene. and i had a dress on. i had to be mindful of the sight lines while being ‘seduced’ to the couch unless i wanted the folks in the front row to get an eyeful of my panties! 😉 unbelievably complicated!! and this was just community (non professional) theater. neither of us had ever done a love scene before. well, on stage before 120 people, anyway. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/6 "2008-03-19T03:06:34Z")
If you haven’t seen “Love Actually,” you need to. I won’t say more than that…no spoilers. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/7 "2008-03-19T03:22:40Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Again referring to the various interviews I’ve read, a number of performers have said that a movie set is a staggeringly un-erotic place. Yes, they’re naked or semi-naked in bed with a beautiful co-star. Milling around their beautiful co-star-filled bed are dozens of crew members. Not an atmosphere conducive to erotic mishaps. [/QUOTE] Right. I have actually been on the set of a Porno shoot. The reality was very un-erotic. :eek: Many men simply can’t get an erection in those cases, also. You may think you’d have a problem during that Uma nude love scene, but in reality, you’d be embarrassed for the wrong reason. ☹ I’d like to hear from the distaff side whether or not they’d be aroused. 😕 I think that most would not. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/8 "2008-03-19T03:32:53Z")
I was on a shoot as a child, so I was told to sit outside for a couple days when they were shooting a sex scene. So while I can’t answer the on-set details, I’ll just note that filming a **rape** scene appears to be a very **stressful** thing. The guy of the scene was having to come out and smoke down a cigarette about every five minutes between takes and he **really** didn’t look happy. I assume that the female of the scene was doing something similar, justing going to her dressing room instead of coming outside in her undies. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/9 "2008-03-19T11:08:01Z")
I understand that McLovin was only 17 when they filmed his sex scene in _Superbad_, and because he was a minor his mother had to be on the set during the filming process. Talk about unerotic… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/10 "2008-03-19T14:24:33Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I was on a shoot as a child, so I was told to sit outside for a couple days when they were shooting a sex scene. So while I can’t answer the on-set details, I’ll just note that filming a **rape** scene appears to be a very **stressful** thing. The guy of the scene was having to come out and smoke down a cigarette about every five minutes between takes and he **really** didn’t look happy. I assume that the female of the scene was doing something similar, justing going to her dressing room instead of coming outside in her undies. [/QUOTE] How interesting. Can you tell us the name of the movie? ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/11 "2008-03-19T14:50:50Z")
I remember reading an article is Maxim magazine i forgot who they interviewed but she mentioned some actor I forgot who actually got aroused during their scenes together. I forgot who it was though. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/12 "2008-03-19T15:07:24Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] The Screen Actors’ Guild has very specific rules about nudity; every detail must be written into the contract. [/QUOTE] I think that would be fascinating to read – any idea if the rules are available on the 'net? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/13 "2008-03-19T15:22:47Z")
[QUOTE=ChrisBooth12] I remember reading an article is Maxim magazine i forgot who they interviewed but she mentioned some actor I forgot who actually got aroused during their scenes together. I forgot who it was though. [/QUOTE] I remember Ewan McGregor admitting in one interview that things got…interesting…when he was filming with Tilda Swinton. :eek: Apparently the director called cut, and he had to explain why he couldn’t stand up quite at the moment, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/14 "2008-03-19T15:41:08Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] I remember Ewan McGregor admitting in one interview that things got…interesting…when he was filming with Tilda Swinton. :eek: Apparently the director called cut, and he had to explain why he couldn’t stand up quite at the moment, thanks! [/QUOTE] I thought that was years ago when he first started acting, in _Scarlet and Black_? Of course, it could’ve happened in _Young Adam_, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/15 "2008-03-19T16:08:08Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] I thought that was years ago when he first started acting, in _Scarlet and Black_? Of course, it could’ve happened in _Young Adam_, I suppose. [/QUOTE] I don’t remember the movie, but I remember the “Tilda Swinton” …oh…oh, shit, maybe it was Alice Kirge. I always mix those two up. Yeah, it was early on in his career, so _Scarlet and Black_ is a much better bet. Oh dear. I may have inadvertently besmirched Mr. McGregor’s reputation. \*However \*can I make it up to him? _bats eyelashes_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/16 "2008-03-19T17:59:58Z")
I was listening to the director commentary for _Name of the Rose_, with nubile Christian Slater at the ripe age of 15 and the equally hot peasant girl. Apparently the director emptied out all the extra staff so it was just the actors, the director, and a camera guy. He also said that he had to call cut several times before the actors noticed him. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/17 "2008-03-19T18:13:03Z")
I recall reading an article on this point several years ago. They talked to Mel Gibson and Patsy Kensit, who had recently filmed a naked love scene for one of the “Lethal Weapon” movies. Both performers were happily married to other people, and said that it wasn’t remotely erotic to be sliding around nearly or nearly so with some that wasn’t your spouse, surrounded by crew and cameras and bright lights. Then they interviewed Steven Seagal and Kelly LeBrock, performers that were (then) happily married to each other, and who had recently filmed a naked love scene together for one of Seagal’s action flicks… and they said although they were certainly no strangers to each others bodies, it was very disturbing to have a director telling them how to position themselves for erotic effect when the object of that effect was their own spouse! ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/18 "2008-03-19T18:25:26Z")
There’s an extremely realistic-looking sex scene between Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie in the 1973 movie [Don’t Look Now](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/). The story is that the two actors and the director spent an afternoon locked in a room, with no other crew, and the actors went the extra mile to provide believable intimacy between a loving married couple. Having studied the scene, I know that Donald was willing to get his face between Ms. Christie’s legs. He’s a trouper. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/19 "2008-03-19T18:31:39Z")
[List of mainstream films with unsimulated sex](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mainstream_films_with_unsimulated_sex) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854/20 "2008-03-19T18:33:24Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] I was listening to the director commentary for _Name of the Rose_, with nubile Christian Slater at the ripe age of 15 and the equally hot peasant girl. Apparently the director emptied out all the extra staff so it was just the actors, the director, and a camera guy… [/QUOTE] I remember they did something similar for the sex scene between William Hurt and his (I forget her name) costar in _Gorky Park_, because the actress was so embarrassed. And there’s long been a rumor that Mickey Rourke and his costar actually were going at it in several scenes of _Wild Orchid_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-actors-do-naked-sex-scenes/441854.md?page=2)