Gemma Arterton Recalls Early-Career Sex Scene Pressure

Actress Gemma Arterton recounted a disturbing experience early in her career where a director pressured her to film an unplanned sex scene, which she firmly refused. She emphasized that the scene was originally scripted to be off-screen, yet the director insisted on a last-minute change. Arterton expressed that standing her ground was possible because she was older, noting that such resistance would have been much harder when she was younger due to fears of being sacked or gaining a bad reputation. She praised the introduction of intimacy coordinators post-#MeToo for improving the consent and safety of actors during intimate scenes. Arterton now avoids roles that require sex scenes and highlighted the shift in industry practices towards greater respect for actors' comfort.