It’s easy to assume that most s*x scenes in films are merely simulated for the audience, but some actors apparently don’t always settle for acting alone. Movies and TV shows have countless steamy moments, like the passionate car scene in Titanic or the expl!cit sequences in the 50 Shades of Grey series. As viewers, we’re meant to believe the characters are genuinely engaging in intimate acts, though for actors, it’s typically just part of the performance.
Different actors have different approaches, but you might be surprised by how many have actually engaged in real acts on screen. Here’s a look at some of them:
Robert Pattinson
If you immediately thought of Twilight, let me correct you—those films were PG-13. However, in his 2008 film Little Ashes, released the same year as Twilight, Pattinson played Spanish artist Salvador Dali and performed an unsimulated act on camera. Pattinson later mentioned to Interview magazine that his “org*sm face was recorded for eternity,” as he felt faking it wouldn’t convincingly sell the scene to viewers.
Aubrey Plaza
In the 2013 movie The To-Do List, Plaza learned firsthand what it was like to pleasure herself on camera. Discussing it with Conan O’Brien, the Parks and Recreation star admitted she initially thought her hand would just “slowly go out of frame,” but found the set experience to be much more direct. On set, Plaza asked the director for guidance and was told to “masturbate like it says in the script.”
Chloë Sevigny and Vincent Gallo
Gallo wrote, directed, and starred in the 2003 film The Brown Bunny alongside Sevigny. The film features a controversial scene where Sevigny’s character performs unsimulated oral s*x on Gallo. Sevigny described it as “very complicated” and emotionally charged, admitting she might need therapy for it someday. Despite this, she expressed pride in the film and her performance.
Kieran O’Brien and Margo Stilley
O’Brien and Stilley appear in several explicit scenes in the 2004 film 9 Songs. Due to its nature, the film faced heavy criticism, a point addressed by Stilley who expressed disappointment at its online misrepresentation.
Lauren Lee Smith
In the 2005 drama Lie With Me, Smith participated in unsimulated scenes. Initially shocked by the requirement, saying “Are you kidding?” she ultimately found “chemistry” with co-star Eric Balfour, leading them to proceed with the scenes.
Kerry Fox and Mark Rylance
In the 2001 film Intimacy, Rylance and Fox share an unsimulated scene, aligning with the film’s title. Rylance later referred to it as the “most difficult job” of his career due to the personal and professional challenges, while Fox noted the film was not a regret of hers.
Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg (sort of)
In the 2009 film Antichrist, body doubles were used for scenes that were difficult to simulate, while Dafoe and Gainsbourg, who were both married, took on the roles implicating intimate acts.
Shia LaBeouf (again, sort of)
In the 2013 film Nymphoman!ac, LaBeouf’s character seems to engage in real acts, but producer Louise Vesth explained to The Hollywood Reporter that body doubles were used for the actual acts, with the actors’ performances digitally combined in post-production.