# What current actors would be most hurt/helped by doing a nude scene? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620 "2008-05-17T01:27:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/61 "2008-05-19T18:27:47Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] I didn’t answer my own question. Hmm. As hot as I think Natalie Portman is, I think she was right to regret going nude in _Hotel Chevalier_, and I rather hope she thinks long and hard before doing another nude scene. I’d rather she concentrated on giving good performances than inspiring circle-jerks. [/QUOTE] She’s very talented. She can do both. I think it’s quite interesting how many celebs have been mentioned as “want to see nude”, then someone else comes along and names the film where it happened. I think it’s pretty clear that nude scenes don’t damage a career. Sex scenes are maybe a little more murky, but I would guess that so long as the movie can’t be mistaken for out and out porn, those are ok too. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/62 "2008-05-19T18:33:24Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Viggo Mortensen did a nude fight scene in Eastern Promises and I believe he got an Oscar Nomination for it so it certainly didn’t hurt him. Although I do think a nude fight scene would have hurt in some way. [/QUOTE] Borat’s career, however, seems to have taken a dive after a similar scene. Odd. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/63 "2008-05-19T20:44:31Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] Sarah Polley “The Secret Life of Words” [/QUOTE] That one’s kinda eww [QUOTE=Muffin] Jordanna Brewster “Nearing Grace” “The Invisible Circus” [/QUOTE] Oh, you’re a good person… ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/64 "2008-05-19T20:47:26Z")
[QUOTE=Atrael] If you’re going to have somone naked, do it right. I know when I get up after a hot and heavy lovemaking session, my boxers aren’t on. Likewise I’ve never had a partner that carefully aranged the sheets to cover her breasts. [/QUOTE] Don’t even get me started about the number of women who have sex in bed WITH THEIR BRAS ON. I mean sure I don’t want to see their breasts particularly, but it just smacks of love scene for the sake of it, or lazy choreography (it’s very easy to do a nude scene that involves you seeing no nudity, and I don’t personally think they’re a cop out, just a nod to reality assuming they’re necessary). ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/65 "2008-05-20T03:20:36Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Jessica Alba and Elisha Cuthbert, fully naked, french kissing each other for three hours. It would help their careers because I’d buy a ticket. [/QUOTE] You and the rest of the known world. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/66 "2008-05-20T03:21:43Z")
Because the world is populated only by heterosexual males? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/67 "2008-05-20T15:00:23Z")
[QUOTE=Illuminatiprimus] Don’t even get me started about the number of women who have sex in bed WITH THEIR BRAS ON. I mean sure I don’t want to see their breasts particularly, but it just smacks of love scene for the sake of it, or lazy choreography (it’s very easy to do a nude scene that involves you seeing no nudity, and I don’t personally think they’re a cop out, just a nod to reality assuming they’re necessary). [/QUOTE] IRL, IME, about 15-20% of the time, the bra stays on - some generously-endowed girls don’t like their boobs bouncing around too much, I hear. Or don’t want an eye put out, whatever… That’s not including full-on zipless fucking, of course. Oh, and Joan Cusack needs to do a nude scene. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/68 "2008-05-20T15:48:51Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Because the world is populated only by heterosexual males? [/QUOTE] I’m a heterosexual male, and that idea doesn’t do much for me. But them I’m in the minority who thinks Jessica Alba is not especially hot. I mean, she’s not UGLY–but nothing about her makes me want to stop and stare. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/69 "2008-05-20T15:50:44Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Jessica Alba and Elisha Cuthbert, fully naked, french kissing each other for three hours. It would help their careers because I’d buy a ticket. [/QUOTE] I am interested in your theories, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. * * * That being said, Havoc was actually pretty good, and had a LOT of Anne Hathaways rather nice breasts in it. So that was good. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/70 "2008-05-20T19:28:16Z")
[QUOTE=Tristan] That being said, Havoc was actually pretty good, and had a LOT of Anne Hathaways rather nice breasts in it. So that was good. [/QUOTE] How many does she have, exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/71 "2008-05-20T22:36:20Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Because the world is populated only by heterosexual males? [/QUOTE] That would certainly be unfortunate. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/72 "2008-05-20T22:48:22Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] How many does she have, exactly? [/QUOTE] More than meets the eye! Her career actually supports the “nudity does no harm” theory, since she got nekkid (partly) in two movies and yet will be doing a comedy with Steve Carell. Oh, and I wanna see Missy Peregrym nude. She’s just really hot to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/73 "2008-05-21T01:34:30Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] Oh, and I wanna see Missy Peregrym nude. She’s just really hot to me. [/QUOTE] I’d never heard of her, but fortunately I’m close personal friends with Google. That being said, [I’ll second your motion](http://www.scifiunited.com/home/content/view/755/). The article says she was on Heroes, but I’m afraid I don’t recognize her. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/74 "2008-05-21T02:09:06Z")
She was mental-projection-girl in Heroes. The (apparent) shapeshifter. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/75 "2008-05-21T02:50:06Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] She was mental-projection-girl in Heroes. The (apparent) shapeshifter. [/QUOTE] Ah, okay. The one who was taking care of Sylar. I guess it makes sense that I didn’t recognize her - her scenes were always very brief and infrequent. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/76 "2008-05-21T03:04:24Z")
There is absolutely nobody whose career would be helped by “a nude scene” per se. If the nude scene were part and parcel of a well-written, highly memorable role, sure, that role might be a fantastic opportunity- even for an actress you wouldn’t normally think of for such a role. But there’s no successful actress who NEEDS to do a nude scene to prove some kind of point. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/77 "2008-05-21T03:11:53Z")
Yes, but I think sex symbol status always means more cash in Hollywood… male or female. All of the top actresses have done risque, if even in a PG Role. There are no sexless leads. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/78 "2008-05-21T10:18:04Z")
[QUOTE=Mister Rik] Ah, okay. The one who was taking care of Sylar. I guess it makes sense that I didn’t recognize her - her scenes were always very brief and infrequent. [/QUOTE] Actually, her character was taking care of Sylar, but by that point they’d recast the role by having her ‘pick a different appearance.’ 😃 She was using Missy as her base form when she was partnered with Bennett in season 1, and when she was babysitting Micah. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/79 "2008-05-21T14:19:31Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] There is absolutely nobody whose career would be helped by “a nude scene” per se. If the nude scene were part and parcel of a well-written, highly memorable role, sure, that role might be a fantastic opportunity- even for an actress you wouldn’t normally think of for such a role. But there’s no successful actress who NEEDS to do a nude scene to prove some kind of point. [/QUOTE] I beg your pardon? No less an authority than well-known Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan has stated publicly that in order to be respected as a serious actress, you have to do full frontal nudity. That is why when the unwashed masses go prattling about what a great actress Meryl Streep is, the true cognescenti must struggle to contain their chortles and sometimes even guffaws. Sure, Meryl Streep is a great actress – _for an actress who has never done full frontal nudity._ ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620/80 "2008-05-21T15:09:35Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] As hot as I think Natalie Portman is, I think she was right to regret going nude in _Hotel Chevalier_, and I rather hope she thinks long and hard before doing another nude scene. I’d rather she concentrated on giving good performances than inspiring circle-jerks. [/QUOTE] Look, there’s more than one **kind** of legitimate artistic expression! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-current-actors-would-be-most-hurt-helped-by-doing-a-nude-scene/449620.md?page=5)