Actresses are lucky: even if they’re totally turned on by a sex scene they’re filming, there isn’t exactly any obvious indications that they are. On the other hand, if a male actor is enjoying the scene, it can get a little embarrassing. Some say they have a policy of apologizing no matter what before the scene takes place because they think it might be insulting both if they do and if they don’t get aroused. Others have told tales of their previous sex scene embarrassment, admitting that despite the crew being around, it’s still easy to end up pretty aroused, especially when they’re nude in bed with a gorgeous costar – can you really blame them?! Here is what 5 experienced actors have to say on the topic!
Ewan McGrego
Ewan says he just couldn’t help himself for his part in Scarlett&Black and was left embarrassed when he got aroused when filming with actress Alice Krige: “I had to lie on top of her and they kept on pulling back the sheet. They wanted to see my naked bum and her naked thigh, so we couldn’t wear any underwear. It was very embarrassing. It was a case of, ‘Cut! We’ll go again.’ I calmed myself down and we just got on with the scene.”
Hugh Grant
Hugh says he often gets turned on during sex scenes: “I’ve always enjoyed sex scenes, though you’re not really supposed to. The classic answer is – Oh, it’s not sexy at all because there are so many technicians standing around. But I’ve always found them extremely arousing.”
Jesse Metcalfe
Jesse was left red-faced when he filmed a sex scene for ‘Desperate Housewives’ with Eva Longoria: “It happens. It doesn’t happen that frequently because there are a lot of people on set, and it can be very technical, but it happens from time to time. Yeah! As a matter of fact, in the first scene we ever had, where Gabriella and John first had sex, we were rehearsing and then the director was like, ‘OK, get out of bed, we have to reset the set’, and I was like, ‘I need a minute.’ “
Samuel finds it awkward either way: “I hate nude scenes, you have to ask where it’s okay to touch and where it’s not okay to touch and then you have to apologise for getting excited or for not getting excited. I’m sorry if I do and I’m sorry if I don’t. It’s a weird conversation to have.”
Seth Rogan
Seth was nervous about his first sex scene with Katherine Heigl for ‘Knocked Up’: “I got really nervous and I kept thinking, ‘What will I do, how do I behave?’ And I was watching TV one day and Inside The Actor’s Studio was on and Sean Connery was on it and he has a lot of sex scenes. He was talking about sex scenes and he said, ‘Before every sex scene I say to the woman, ‘I’m sorry if I get aroused and I’m sorry if I don’t.’ I thought, ‘That’s good, I’ll use that.’ So we’re shooting the scene and we’re getting into position. I’m really focusing on not sweating on her, that’s my main goal. I say to her, ‘Katherine, I’m sorry if I get aroused and I’m sorry if I don’t.’ And she looks at me and says, ‘Why would you be sorry if you don’t get aroused? I don’t want you to get aroused.’ I realised that’s the difference between my and Sean Connery – people kind of want him to get aroused a little. I should have just said, ‘I’m sorry.’ And that’s it.”
