Legendary actor, Michael Douglas, reportedly weighed in on how different the sex scenes are in today’s movies, when compared to how they were handled when he was a younger actor in a Radio Times interview.
Douglas suggested to Radio Times that the increased use of intimacy coordinators on-set has stifled the creativity and free-flowing acting skills that were once permitted on Hollywood movie sets, before the emergence of the #Me-Too era, according to The Telegraph. When paired with the sharp decline in the number of sex scenes that are now portrayed in film, Douglas told Radio Times the landscape has dramatically changed, the outlet reported.
“I’m past the age where I’ve got to worry about that. But it’s interesting with all the intimacy co-ordinators,” Douglas reportedly said. “It feels like executives taking control away from filmmakers.”
The 76th Cannes Film Festival – Photocall of Michael Douglas – Cannes, France, May 16, 2023. Actor Michael Douglas poses during a photocall before being awarded with an honorary Palme d’Or prize during the opening ceremony. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
However Douglas did admit to Radio Times that “there have been some terrible faux pas and harassment” issues on various film sets, that has been the main reason the industry has shifted, according to The Telegraph.
The famous actor, who has had his fair share of steamy scenes, and has starred in hits like “Basic Instinct” and “Fatal Attraction,” reportedly said the sensitive scenes are handled far differently now, and there’s less room for actors to personally interpret the energy and shift gears as needed.
The 76th Cannes Film Festival – Photocall of Michael Douglas – Cannes, France, May 16, 2023. Actor Michael Douglas poses during a photocall before being awarded with an honorary Palme d’Or prize during the opening ceremony. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
“Sex scenes are like fight scenes, it’s all choreographed,” Douglas told Radio Times, according to The Telegraph.
“In my experience you take responsibility as the man to make sure the woman is comfortable, you talk it through,” the famous reportedly noted.
He explained the matter from his own perspective.
“You say, ‘OK, I’m gonna touch you here if that’s all right,'” he told Radio Times, the outlet reported.
“It’s very slow but looks like it’s happening organically, which is hopefully what good acting looks like.” (RELATED: Famous Actress Victoria Justice Describes What It Was Like To Film Her First Sex Scene)
Douglas is not alone. A recent study in The Economist found that sex scenes have sharply declined in recent years, after the #MeToo movement forced a change in the way sensitive dynamics were handled in the entertainment industry. The study suggested other factors may play a role in the apparent decline, including less interest in explicit scenes among younger viewers.