The New Politics of Hollywood Sex Scenes in the #MeToo Era
Amid the added pressures of shooting in the nude, lawyers for actors are demanding more specific, ironclad protections in “nudity riders,” including the ability to sue for leaked footage.
By Tatiana Siege
One would think that in the 10 months since Harvey Weinstein was outed for allegedly assaulting dozens of women, igniting a #MeToo revolution that has swept over Hollywood, one of the first effects would be a dramatic change in the way sex scenes are filmed. Yes and no.
Yes, there’s been a lot of talk about making sure actresses feel more empowered on set. And yes, “the amount of nudity being requested is less,” says attorney Jamie Feldman, whose clients include Juno Temple and Gillian Jacobs. “People certainly are being a lot more sensitive about how they’re asking for that stuff and how it’s going to be perceived, about the possible accusation of being gratuitous.”
What has not changed, however, are the inherent power imbalances, vulnerabilities and uncomfortable pressures that occur when filming these scenes. In fact, the prevailing wisdom among multiple representatives and filmmakers interviewed is that actresses (and yes, more often these…
