'Empowering,' 'Deeply Humiliating' and 'Gross': Stars Share How It 'Really' Feels to Film a Sex Scene

Mar. 15, 2025

Jamie Dornan attends the 2024 Met Gala Celebrating ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ on May 6, 2024, in New York City; Reese Witherspoon attends the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute Celebrating Nicole Kidman on April 27, 2024, in Hollywood, Calif.; Viola Davis attends the 2023 Chaplin Award Gala honoring her on April 24, 2023, in New York City.Photo:Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Filming a sex scene isn’t alwayssexy.Kate Winslet,Kristen StewartandJamie Dornanhad remarkably unbearable experiences pretending to be physically intimate with their costars. Sure, you’d think doing the deed on-screen would be easier when the person you have to make out with happens to be your real-life partner, but that wasn’t the case forRiley Keoughand her husband,Ben Smith-Petersen.From the good, the bad and the “grotesquely uncomfortable,” read what celebrities had to say about faking convincing sex scenes to create real chemistry for their characters.

Filming a sex scene isn’t alwayssexy.

Kate Winslet,Kristen StewartandJamie Dornanhad remarkably unbearable experiences pretending to be physically intimate with their costars. Sure, you’d think doing the deed on-screen would be easier when the person you have to make out with happens to be your real-life partner, but that wasn’t the case forRiley Keoughand her husband,Ben Smith-Petersen.

From the good, the bad and the “grotesquely uncomfortable,” read what celebrities had to say about faking convincing sex scenes to create real chemistry for their characters.

01of 30"Super Safe"Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page in character on ‘Bridgerton'.NetflixPhoebe Dynevorspoke toHarper’s Bazaarin 2021 about how much time and preparation went into blocking the seemingly effortless sex scenes withRegé-Jean Pageon Netlix’s hit seriesBridgerton.“It really was like shooting a stunt, it looked real, but we’ve got padding on,” the actress told the outlet. “The angles are very … I mean, I’ve shot intimacy scenes before in the past without any of that. And I can’t believe really how new this all is, because it just changed the game.“She added that the show’s intimacy coach, Lizzy Talbot, helped the pair feel comfortable. “We felt super safe, and it just meant that when we got on set, we already knew exactly what we’re doing,” Dynevor said. “We’d blocked it all so specifically. I knew exactly where his hand was going to go [and] at what point. So it just meant that there wasn’t any room for a director to go, ‘Oh, I want to see this now.’ "

01of 30

“Super Safe”

Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page in character on ‘Bridgerton'.Netflix

Phoebe Dynevorspoke toHarper’s Bazaarin 2021 about how much time and preparation went into blocking the seemingly effortless sex scenes withRegé-Jean Pageon Netlix’s hit seriesBridgerton.

“It really was like shooting a stunt, it looked real, but we’ve got padding on,” the actress told the outlet. “The angles are very … I mean, I’ve shot intimacy scenes before in the past without any of that. And I can’t believe really how new this all is, because it just changed the game.”

She added that the show’s intimacy coach, Lizzy Talbot, helped the pair feel comfortable. “We felt super safe, and it just meant that when we got on set, we already knew exactly what we’re doing,” Dynevor said. “We’d blocked it all so specifically. I knew exactly where his hand was going to go [and] at what point. So it just meant that there wasn’t any room for a director to go, ‘Oh, I want to see this now.’ "

02of 30

Equal

Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones in character in ‘Normal People’.Enda Bowe/Hulu

“The idea of shooting those scenes may be far more anxious than the actual shooting process from day to day,” said Mescal,according toVariety. “There’s an awkward 10 minutes when you’re like, okay, I have to be relatively naked in front of a group of strangers. … From an actor’s perspective, you’ve got to treat that the same way you would a scene where you’re speaking to each other.” Intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien was closely consulted to create a safe and comfortable work space,Varietyreported.

“Another element that I was proud that was part of the series was the equality in nudity between Paul and I, I think that’s really important,” Edgar-Jones added. “Also, if you’re trying to tell the truth about a relationship, you have to also include the truth of what that means in terms of intimacy.”

03of 30UncomfortableKate Winslet attending the Academy Awards at Highland Center on Feb. 28, 2016, in Hollywood, Calif.Jason Merritt/GettyWinslet has done her fair share of on-screen love scenes, but time and experience haven’t made it any less awkward for theOscarwinner.“Those scenes are really awkward — it doesn’t matter which way you look at it,” WinslettoldE! Newsin 2017 about her romantic scene withIdris ElbainThe Mountain Between Us, before revealing that she gave the film’s director, Hany Abu-Assad, some pointers. “‘Okay, everyone — this is how it’s going to be,’ " Winslet recalled saying. Still, getting steamy with Elba has its perks: “All my friends are so jealous of me,” she joked.

03of 30

Uncomfortable

Kate Winslet attending the Academy Awards at Highland Center on Feb. 28, 2016, in Hollywood, Calif.Jason Merritt/Getty

Winslet has done her fair share of on-screen love scenes, but time and experience haven’t made it any less awkward for theOscarwinner.

“Those scenes are really awkward — it doesn’t matter which way you look at it,” WinslettoldE! Newsin 2017 about her romantic scene withIdris ElbainThe Mountain Between Us, before revealing that she gave the film’s director, Hany Abu-Assad, some pointers. “‘Okay, everyone — this is how it’s going to be,’ " Winslet recalled saying. Still, getting steamy with Elba has its perks: “All my friends are so jealous of me,” she joked.

04of 30"Brilliant"Emilia Clarke in character on ‘Game of Thrones’.Keith BernsteinGame of Throneshas no shortage of nudity and sex scenes, but only one of them causedEmilia Clarketo actually thank the show’s creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. The actresstoldEllein 2017 that filming her commanding sex scene withMichiel HuismanonGame of Thronesseason 4 was “brilliant.”“I actually went up to [them] and thanked them,” Clarke said. “I was like, ‘That’s a scene I’ve been waiting for!’ Because I get a lot of crap for having done nudes scenes and sex scenes. That, in itself, is so antifeminist. Women hating on other women is just the problem. That’s upsetting, so it’s kind of wonderful to have a scene where I was like, ‘There you go!’ "

04of 30

“Brilliant”

Emilia Clarke in character on ‘Game of Thrones’.Keith Bernstein

Game of Throneshas no shortage of nudity and sex scenes, but only one of them causedEmilia Clarketo actually thank the show’s creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. The actresstoldEllein 2017 that filming her commanding sex scene withMichiel HuismanonGame of Thronesseason 4 was “brilliant.”

“I actually went up to [them] and thanked them,” Clarke said. “I was like, ‘That’s a scene I’ve been waiting for!’ Because I get a lot of crap for having done nudes scenes and sex scenes. That, in itself, is so antifeminist. Women hating on other women is just the problem. That’s upsetting, so it’s kind of wonderful to have a scene where I was like, ‘There you go!’ "

05of 30EmbarrassingJudy Greer arriving at the Los Angeles special screening of ‘Obvious Child’ at the ArcLight Hollywood on June 5, 2014, in Hollywood, Calif.Amanda Edwards/WireImageWhen it came time to rehearse for her sex scene with costarWoody Harrelsonfor their film,Wilson(2017),Judy Greermade it a point to get into it. “I’m gonna really do my full performance herefor this rehearsal so everyone knows what I’m gonna do,” Greer recalled to PEOPLE in 2017 of how she hyped herself up for the scene.But as Greer quickly found out, she might have gotten herself a littletoohyped. After the rehearsal, the film’s director, Craig Johnson, walked over to her and cautioned, “I don’t think she’sthatinto it.““And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, never again,’ " Greer said. “I’m so embarrassed. I’m so mortified.”

05of 30

Embarrassing

Judy Greer arriving at the Los Angeles special screening of ‘Obvious Child’ at the ArcLight Hollywood on June 5, 2014, in Hollywood, Calif.Amanda Edwards/WireImage

When it came time to rehearse for her sex scene with costarWoody Harrelsonfor their film,Wilson(2017),Judy Greermade it a point to get into it. “I’m gonna really do my full performance herefor this rehearsal so everyone knows what I’m gonna do,” Greer recalled to PEOPLE in 2017 of how she hyped herself up for the scene.

But as Greer quickly found out, she might have gotten herself a littletoohyped. After the rehearsal, the film’s director, Craig Johnson, walked over to her and cautioned, “I don’t think she’sthatinto it.”

“And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, never again,’ " Greer said. “I’m so embarrassed. I’m so mortified.”

06of 30Emotionally TaxingNicole Kidman attending the Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Berkeley Square Gardens in 2017.PA Images/INSTARimages.comFor her turn onBig Little Lies,Nicole Kidmantook on the role of Celeste, a mother of two who often engaged in rough sexual acts to please her abusive husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård). “I felt very exposedand vulnerable and deeply humiliated at times,” the actressadmitted toWmagazinein 2017 of filming the demanding scenes.One season 1, episode 7 scene particularly stood out for Kidman. “I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom … and I just wouldn’t get up in-between takes,” she recalled. “I was just lying there, sort of broken and crying, and I remember at one point [late directorJean-Marc Vallée] coming over and just sort of placing a towel over me because I was just lying there in half-torn underwear and just basically on the ground with nothing on and I was just, like [gasps].”

06of 30

Emotionally Taxing

Nicole Kidman attending the Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Berkeley Square Gardens in 2017.PA Images/INSTARimages.com

For her turn onBig Little Lies,Nicole Kidmantook on the role of Celeste, a mother of two who often engaged in rough sexual acts to please her abusive husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård). “I felt very exposedand vulnerable and deeply humiliated at times,” the actressadmitted toWmagazinein 2017 of filming the demanding scenes.

One season 1, episode 7 scene particularly stood out for Kidman. “I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom … and I just wouldn’t get up in-between takes,” she recalled. “I was just lying there, sort of broken and crying, and I remember at one point [late directorJean-Marc Vallée] coming over and just sort of placing a towel over me because I was just lying there in half-torn underwear and just basically on the ground with nothing on and I was just, like [gasps].”

07of 30DemandingIan Harding attending the Audi Celebration for the 68th Emmys at Catch on Sept. 15, 2016, in West Hollywood, Calif.Paul Archuleta/FilmMagicPretty Little LiarsstarIan Hardingdelved into details of sex scene prep in his 2017 memoir,Odd Birds. Harding admitted that shooting steamy scenes for the series was generally awkward and that it was the “only” time actors would avoid snacking and instead head to their dressing rooms to do push-ups. He also wrote about constantly having to shave to achieve a “smooth, porpoise-y chest” for the show and “flossed at least three times” and “gargled between every take” when it came time to film a make-out scene for the pilot episode.

07of 30

Demanding

Ian Harding attending the Audi Celebration for the 68th Emmys at Catch on Sept. 15, 2016, in West Hollywood, Calif.Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

Pretty Little LiarsstarIan Hardingdelved into details of sex scene prep in his 2017 memoir,Odd Birds. Harding admitted that shooting steamy scenes for the series was generally awkward and that it was the “only” time actors would avoid snacking and instead head to their dressing rooms to do push-ups. He also wrote about constantly having to shave to achieve a “smooth, porpoise-y chest” for the show and “flossed at least three times” and “gargled between every take” when it came time to film a make-out scene for the pilot episode.

08of 30RelaxedLucy Hale attending the 2017 CW Upfront on May 18, 2017, in New York City.Monica Schipper/WireImageAfter her costar Harding revealed his intensive dental cleaning routine while shooting their first kiss for thePretty Little Liarspilot,Lucy Haleadmitted they got very comfortable very quickly. “Not toward the end, he didn’t!” Hale told PEOPLE in May 2017 of her on-screen beau’s oral hygiene habits. “I think when we started working with each other we were both super nervous and making sure we were in tip-top shape, and then towards the end we didn’t care.”

08of 30

Relaxed

Lucy Hale attending the 2017 CW Upfront on May 18, 2017, in New York City.Monica Schipper/WireImage

After her costar Harding revealed his intensive dental cleaning routine while shooting their first kiss for thePretty Little Liarspilot,Lucy Haleadmitted they got very comfortable very quickly. “Not toward the end, he didn’t!” Hale told PEOPLE in May 2017 of her on-screen beau’s oral hygiene habits. “I think when we started working with each other we were both super nervous and making sure we were in tip-top shape, and then towards the end we didn’t care.”

09of 30LongKirsten Dunst arriving at the Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Expo Hall on Jan. 29, 2017, in Los Angeles.Todd Williamson/GettyWhenKirsten Dunstfilmed an intense love scene withColin Farrellfor their film,The Beguiled(2017), she had one question in mind: Are we done yet?“I am on the floor and my clothes are being ripped,” Dunstexplained toE! Newsat CinemaCon in 2017. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it. To be honest, I’m like, ‘Let’s get this over with as fast as possible.’ " Luckily, she said, directorSofia Coppolaunderstood her complaints and quickly moved things along. “At least Sofia’s like, ‘We’re going to get this done quick. We’re just gonna shoot it here. We’ll do three takes — be done.’ "

09of 30

Long

Kirsten Dunst arriving at the Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Expo Hall on Jan. 29, 2017, in Los Angeles.Todd Williamson/Getty

WhenKirsten Dunstfilmed an intense love scene withColin Farrellfor their film,The Beguiled(2017), she had one question in mind: Are we done yet?

“I am on the floor and my clothes are being ripped,” Dunstexplained toE! Newsat CinemaCon in 2017. “I don’t like it. I don’t like it. To be honest, I’m like, ‘Let’s get this over with as fast as possible.’ " Luckily, she said, directorSofia Coppolaunderstood her complaints and quickly moved things along. “At least Sofia’s like, ‘We’re going to get this done quick. We’re just gonna shoot it here. We’ll do three takes — be done.’ "

10of 30Kinda GrossCharlie Hunnam attending the Fall 2015 Men’s Calvin Klein Collection Runway Show at Calvin Klein in Milan.Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc/SipaCharlie Hunnamhas stripped down for the camera plenty of times, but he secretly hates having to film sex scenes for two very important reasons: His girlfriend,Morgana McNelis, doesn’t enjoy watching him with other women and, well, they gross him out.“I try to be sensitive to the fact that we’re doing something intimate but also keep a clear boundary. Because I’m in a very committed relationship, and I’m also cognizant that it’s not my girlfriend’s favorite part of my job. It’s a delicate balance to strike,” hetoldEllein 2017. “I’m also a germophobe. I’ve been profoundly germophobic since I was a young child. I don’t want to kiss anyone but my girlfriend for my whole life.”

10of 30

Kinda Gross

Charlie Hunnam attending the Fall 2015 Men’s Calvin Klein Collection Runway Show at Calvin Klein in Milan.Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc/Sipa

Charlie Hunnamhas stripped down for the camera plenty of times, but he secretly hates having to film sex scenes for two very important reasons: His girlfriend,Morgana McNelis, doesn’t enjoy watching him with other women and, well, they gross him out.

“I try to be sensitive to the fact that we’re doing something intimate but also keep a clear boundary. Because I’m in a very committed relationship, and I’m also cognizant that it’s not my girlfriend’s favorite part of my job. It’s a delicate balance to strike,” hetoldEllein 2017. “I’m also a germophobe. I’ve been profoundly germophobic since I was a young child. I don’t want to kiss anyone but my girlfriend for my whole life.”

11of 30

Challenging

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in character in ‘Fifty Shades Darker’.Chuck Zlotnick/Focus Features/Everett

While filming a steamy scene inFifty Shades Darkerwith costarDakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan revealed that the reality was … the opposite of sexy. “The spreader bar, they made that,” Dornan (a.k.a. Christian Grey) told PEOPLE in 2017 of a memorable device referenced in the books and put into the film. “They were actually really struggling to get their hands on that.”

12of 30

Anxiety-Inducing

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence attending the ‘Passengers’ Berlin photocall at Hotel Adlon on Dec. 2, 2016, in Berlin.Matthias Nareyek/WireImage

Jennifer Lawrencehas said that she relied on alcohol to get through her first sex scene — which she shared withChris Pratt— in the sci-fi dramaPassengers(2016). During a SiriusXM Town Hall in 2016, Pratt told PEOPLE all about filming the nerve-racking scene — and how he tried to make Lawrence as comfortable as possible.

He continued: “For all the sense of anxiety that comes leading up to a scene like this, you get into it and you realize there’s really nothing sexy about it at all. It’s just really awkward. But you know, it’s part of the gig and you just do what you can to check in with the other person and try to minimize any discomfort that they feel.”

13of 30EmpoweringViola Davis attending the Rape Foundation’s annual brunch on Sept. 25, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagicViola Davishas no qualms about filming steamy scenes — as long as they’re as realistic as possible. “I’m not a woman who’s a size 2,” the actress toldTom HanksonVariety’sActors on Actorsin 2016. “If I’m in a sex scene, I want to play the sex scene. I want to say, ‘This is why I’m attracted to you, it’s gotten to this point, this is what my body looks like.’ “It’s what made her proud to play the role of Annalise Keating onHow to Get Away with Murder. “I saw it as an opportunity way bigger than doing good work — I saw it as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that’s sexualized, not sexy,” she said. “There’s a difference between sexualized and sexy.”

13of 30

Empowering

Viola Davis attending the Rape Foundation’s annual brunch on Sept. 25, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Viola Davishas no qualms about filming steamy scenes — as long as they’re as realistic as possible. “I’m not a woman who’s a size 2,” the actress toldTom HanksonVariety’sActors on Actorsin 2016. “If I’m in a sex scene, I want to play the sex scene. I want to say, ‘This is why I’m attracted to you, it’s gotten to this point, this is what my body looks like.’ "

It’s what made her proud to play the role of Annalise Keating onHow to Get Away with Murder. “I saw it as an opportunity way bigger than doing good work — I saw it as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that’s sexualized, not sexy,” she said. “There’s a difference between sexualized and sexy.”

14of 30AwkwardMargot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio in character in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’.ParamountMargot Robbiefilmed her first-ever sex scene withLeonardo DiCaprioinThe Wolf of Wall Street(2013) — and she found the experience … uncomfortable. “There isn’t an option,” RobbietoldVanity Fairin 2016. “It’s just like, this is what you need to do — get on with it. The sooner you do it, the sooner you can stop doing it.” (We never, ever thought we’d hear someone describe hooking up with DiCaprio — fake or otherwise — as something to just get over with.)

14of 30

Awkward

Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio in character in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’.Paramount

Margot Robbiefilmed her first-ever sex scene withLeonardo DiCaprioinThe Wolf of Wall Street(2013) — and she found the experience … uncomfortable. “There isn’t an option,” RobbietoldVanity Fairin 2016. “It’s just like, this is what you need to do — get on with it. The sooner you do it, the sooner you can stop doing it.” (We never, ever thought we’d hear someone describe hooking up with DiCaprio — fake or otherwise — as something to just get over with.)

15of 30"Grotesquely Uncomfortable"Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in character in ‘Twilight’.SummitIn a2015Harper’s Bazaar UKinterview, Kristen Stewart referred to filming her infamousTwilightsex scene with ex-boyfriend and costarRobert Pattinsonas “agonizing” — in large part because it had to be “the most epic sex scene” of all time. “It had to be transcendent and otherworldly, inhuman, better sex than you can possibly ever imagine,” Stewart said. “And we were like, ‘F—. How do we live up to that?’ "

15of 30

“Grotesquely Uncomfortable”

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in character in ‘Twilight’.Summit

In a2015Harper’s Bazaar UKinterview, Kristen Stewart referred to filming her infamousTwilightsex scene with ex-boyfriend and costarRobert Pattinsonas “agonizing” — in large part because it had to be “the most epic sex scene” of all time. “It had to be transcendent and otherworldly, inhuman, better sex than you can possibly ever imagine,” Stewart said. “And we were like, ‘F—. How do we live up to that?’ "

16of 30Really, Really DifficultAllison Janney arriving at the Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 11, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP"I’m one of those actors who fall into the camp of never wanting to look at themselves on camera ever,“Allison JanneytoldThe New York Times Magazinein 2016 about filming her first sex scene — at age 50 — forMasters of Sex. “I do not and will not, because I am my worst critic. I think it was the hardest thing I ever had to do, to pretend that I was having an orgasm onscreen.”

16of 30

Really, Really Difficult

Allison Janney arriving at the Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 11, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

“I’m one of those actors who fall into the camp of never wanting to look at themselves on camera ever,“Allison JanneytoldThe New York Times Magazinein 2016 about filming her first sex scene — at age 50 — forMasters of Sex. “I do not and will not, because I am my worst critic. I think it was the hardest thing I ever had to do, to pretend that I was having an orgasm onscreen.”

17of 30EnjoyableJon Hamm in character in ‘Bridesmaids’.EverettWhileJon Hammadmits it was awkward filming his sex scene withKristen Wiigin the 2012 comedyBridesmaids(especially since he had to wear a “flesh-colored thong”), he also kind of, well … enjoyed it. “It’s like running in the rain. There’s a certain point where you go, ‘F— it, I’m already wet. I’m not going to get any less wet so I might as well enjoy how this feels,’ " he toldPlayboy,per Fox News.The costarsreminisced about filming the awkward sceneforVariety’sActors on Actorsin 2024. “All of that stuff in the bed at the beginning of the movie? Everybody just wanted to leave. And we were goofing around,” Hamm jokingly recalled, to which Wiig replied, “It was so fun because it was so loose: ‘What if we do this? What if we try this?’ ”“And [director] Paul Feig yelling sex instructions. ‘Put her leg over your shoulder!’ ‘OK!’ We’re in naked bodysuits,” Hamm said. “Dumb and fun.”

17of 30

Enjoyable

Jon Hamm in character in ‘Bridesmaids’.Everett

WhileJon Hammadmits it was awkward filming his sex scene withKristen Wiigin the 2012 comedyBridesmaids(especially since he had to wear a “flesh-colored thong”), he also kind of, well … enjoyed it. “It’s like running in the rain. There’s a certain point where you go, ‘F— it, I’m already wet. I’m not going to get any less wet so I might as well enjoy how this feels,’ " he toldPlayboy,per Fox News.

The costarsreminisced about filming the awkward sceneforVariety’sActors on Actorsin 2024. “All of that stuff in the bed at the beginning of the movie? Everybody just wanted to leave. And we were goofing around,” Hamm jokingly recalled, to which Wiig replied, “It was so fun because it was so loose: ‘What if we do this? What if we try this?’ ”

“And [director] Paul Feig yelling sex instructions. ‘Put her leg over your shoulder!’ ‘OK!’ We’re in naked bodysuits,” Hamm said. “Dumb and fun.”

18of 30

Torturous

Lena Dunham in character on ‘Girls’.Craig Blankenhorn/HBO

19of 30… Warm?Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson in character in ‘The Longest Ride’.Twentieth Century Fox"The shower was warm, so that was nice,“Scott Eastwoodsaid of his steamy shower sex scene inThe Longest Ride(2015).

19of 30

… Warm?

Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson in character in ‘The Longest Ride’.Twentieth Century Fox

“The shower was warm, so that was nice,“Scott Eastwoodsaid of his steamy shower sex scene inThe Longest Ride(2015).

20of 30Makeup-FreeReese Witherspoon in character in ‘Wild’.Twentieth Century FoxReese Witherspoontold PEOPLE in 2014 that herthen-husband, Jim Toth, was very supportive of herWild(2014) sex scene — the biggest challenge, rather, was going barefaced. “Oh, I’m Southern —I like some makeup! It wasn’t easy.”

20of 30

Makeup-Free

Reese Witherspoon in character in ‘Wild’.Twentieth Century Fox

Reese Witherspoontold PEOPLE in 2014 that herthen-husband, Jim Toth, was very supportive of herWild(2014) sex scene — the biggest challenge, rather, was going barefaced. “Oh, I’m Southern —I like some makeup! It wasn’t easy.”

21of 30OverzealousRyan Guzman and Jennifer Lopez in character in ‘The Boy Next Door’.Universal Pictures"My character has to pick up [Jennifer Lopez] — and me being stupid —I put a little too much oomph into it,“Ryan Guzmantold PEOPLE of his scene with the pop star inThe Boy Next Door(2015). (When Guzman’s father saw the scene in the theater, he reportedly stood up and yelled, “That’s my boy!")

21of 30

Overzealous

Ryan Guzman and Jennifer Lopez in character in ‘The Boy Next Door’.Universal Pictures

“My character has to pick up [Jennifer Lopez] — and me being stupid —I put a little too much oomph into it,“Ryan Guzmantold PEOPLE of his scene with the pop star inThe Boy Next Door(2015). (When Guzman’s father saw the scene in the theater, he reportedly stood up and yelled, “That’s my boy!")

22of 30SurrealMaika Monroe and Zac Efron in character in ‘At Any Price’.Everett"I was nervous because I’ve been in love with her since I can remember,“Zac EfrontoldVulturein 2013 of filming his sex scene withHeather GrahamforAt Any Price(2012). “It was very surreal.”

22of 30

Surreal

Maika Monroe and Zac Efron in character in ‘At Any Price’.Everett

“I was nervous because I’ve been in love with her since I can remember,“Zac EfrontoldVulturein 2013 of filming his sex scene withHeather GrahamforAt Any Price(2012). “It was very surreal.”

23of 30DisorientingRyan Reynolds in character in ‘The Change-Up’.EverettIn 2011,Ryan Reynoldswent onThe Tonight Show with Jay Lenototalk about his filmThe Change-Up— and naturally, the conversation drifted toward his sex scene withOlivia Wilde. “So, in the scene, she’s sitting there, and I take her top off and the bra off, and she has those pasties on, but she’s drawn these adorable little smiley faces on them,” Reynolds said. “And I forget every line in the scene — not just from this movie but from every other movie I’ve done.”

23of 30

Disorienting

Ryan Reynolds in character in ‘The Change-Up’.Everett

In 2011,Ryan Reynoldswent onThe Tonight Show with Jay Lenototalk about his filmThe Change-Up— and naturally, the conversation drifted toward his sex scene withOlivia Wilde. “So, in the scene, she’s sitting there, and I take her top off and the bra off, and she has those pasties on, but she’s drawn these adorable little smiley faces on them,” Reynolds said. “And I forget every line in the scene — not just from this movie but from every other movie I’ve done.”

24of 30

Compassionate

Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller in character in ‘The Spectacular Now’.Everett

25of 30AnnoyingMichael Douglas and Matt Damon in character in ‘Behind the Candelabra’.Claudette Barius/HBO"The hardest thing about sex scenes is thateverybody is a judge,“Michael Douglassaid whentalking about his one-take sex sceneinBehind the Candelabra(2014). “I don’t know the last time you murdered somebody or blew anyone’s brains out, but everyone has had sex and probably this morning, which means everyone has an opinion on how it should be done.”

25of 30

Annoying

Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in character in ‘Behind the Candelabra’.Claudette Barius/HBO

“The hardest thing about sex scenes is thateverybody is a judge,“Michael Douglassaid whentalking about his one-take sex sceneinBehind the Candelabra(2014). “I don’t know the last time you murdered somebody or blew anyone’s brains out, but everyone has had sex and probably this morning, which means everyone has an opinion on how it should be done.”

26of 30WeirdRiley Keough attends the Chanel Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 3, 2023, in Paris, France.Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty ImagesIf you thought Riley Keough’s sex scene with her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen — who made an intimate cameo onDaisy Jones & The Six—came naturally, think again.“The cameo came about because I have to have intercourse with a random person in the show, and the producers were like, ‘It would be so funny if it was your husband,’ " she told hostSeth Meyersduring a 2023 appearance onLate Night with Seth Meyers.So was it more or less awkward? “It was more awkward!” Keough admitted to Meyers. “I think they were thinking it would be less awkward, and then we got there and they’re like, ‘This is really uncomfortable.’ "

26of 30

Weird

Riley Keough attends the Chanel Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 3, 2023, in Paris, France.Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

If you thought Riley Keough’s sex scene with her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen — who made an intimate cameo onDaisy Jones & The Six—came naturally, think again.

“The cameo came about because I have to have intercourse with a random person in the show, and the producers were like, ‘It would be so funny if it was your husband,’ " she told hostSeth Meyersduring a 2023 appearance onLate Night with Seth Meyers.

So was it more or less awkward? “It was more awkward!” Keough admitted to Meyers. “I think they were thinking it would be less awkward, and then we got there and they’re like, ‘This is really uncomfortable.’ "

27of 30

No Big Deal

Alison Brie attends the Film Independent ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ special screening on Feb. 3, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif.Amanda Edwards/Getty

Amanda Edwards/Getty

Unlike Keough, though,Alison Briewas more than comfortable with her husband,Dave Franco, directing her sex scene with costarJay EllisinSomebody I Used to Know(2023).

“The second movie that we did together ever, as actors, wasJeff Baena’sThe Little Hours, and in that movie,Dave has make-out or sex sceneswith three other actors and me,” Brieexplained to Jezebelin 2023. “So, I just feel like that was the ripping of the Band-Aid.”

28of 30

“Gratifying”

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard on the red carpet ahead of the closing ceremony at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 9, 2023, in Venice, Italy.Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty

Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty

29of 30

Nervous

Michael Kovac/Getty

“There were lots of scenes I wanted to change or cut,”Angelina JolietoldThe New York Timesin 2015 about her revealing scenes withthen-husbandBrad PittinBy the Sea, which she wrote and directed. “I realized it was going to be me [naked] in that bathtub.”

“I told myself, ‘Put all of that aside. Like, you can’t change or cut this scene becauseyou’ve had a mastectomy, or because we’re married and people are going to analyze this or that,’ ” Jolie added. “That would be cheating.”

30of 30ComfortableKeri Russell and Matthew Rhys attend the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton on Jan. 7, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Amy Sussman/GettyThecostars–turned–real-life coupledidn’t feel too uneasy about filming moments of intimacy together onThe Americans— well, sort of.AlthoughMatthew Rhysdescribed his on-screen chemistry with partnerKeri Russellas “comfortable” in theirjoint 2016Hollywood Reporterinterview, he did confess he would get “a little protective” about Russell being naked on set.“I’m like, ‘Can someone get her a f—— robe, please?! She’s standing there naked, we’ve cut for five seconds, Jesus Christ.’ And they’re like, ‘Dude, this is the fourth season,’ " Rhys said.

30of 30

Comfortable

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys attend the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton on Jan. 7, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Amy Sussman/Getty

Amy Sussman/Getty

Thecostars–turned–real-life coupledidn’t feel too uneasy about filming moments of intimacy together onThe Americans— well, sort of.

AlthoughMatthew Rhysdescribed his on-screen chemistry with partnerKeri Russellas “comfortable” in theirjoint 2016Hollywood Reporterinterview, he did confess he would get “a little protective” about Russell being naked on set.

“I’m like, ‘Can someone get her a f—— robe, please?! She’s standing there naked, we’ve cut for five seconds, Jesus Christ.’ And they’re like, ‘Dude, this is the fourth season,’ " Rhys said.

source: people.com