WATCH MORE - How did Hollywood become... sexless? Here's our take on the lack of chemistry between today's top stars, and the puritanical movement in blockbuster films: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jqx5eJCaydHTd4U.html

I think people are getting tired of sex and nudity purely for shock value and no real ties to the story, as well as not wanting to be a part of someone getting exploited or coerced. That doesn't mean no sex scenes, it just means relevant sex scenes with willing participants

Twitters reaction to Penn wanting to do less intimate scenes was so ridiculous I couldn't believe it.

I’m not one for banning intimate scenes, BUT whether an actor wants to do one or not is completely up to them. A performer should not be made to do stuff their uncomfortable with in the name of art. That’s why I LOVE that there are intimacy coordinators working on set to help the actors feel comfortable while making a scene look realistic without crossing any boundaries

"The characters haven't consented to being watched" The CHARACTERS?! The FICTIONAL CHARACTERS that have been created solely for the purpose of a story that is meant to be watched?! Those characters?! One of the weirdest hot takes I have seen in a long while

I can't believe how much fuss there's about sth with such a clear answer : yes sex scenes shouldn't be banned from film and yes it should be up to each actor whether they'll concent to do a sex scene kr not

Sex can exist in media as long as everyone is on board and the actors involved have control with how it’s filmed. But to be honest, I barely find sex in movies and tv to even be sex positive when most the times, it’s voyeuristic and typically at the woman. Her full body is shown more than the man’s, her voice is the loudest, the man in the scene normally isn’t objectified for his nudity compared to the woman. If the movie is “supposed to be steamy for the audience”, then what type of audience?? To me, it’s just men inserting their desire for porn into every piece of media they watch.

I’ve always said that sex and nudity in a movie are only as good as to how they benefit the story. The love scene in Blue Is The Warmest Color is so uncomfortably long and intrusive. It couldn’t be any more blatantly exemplifying the male gaze. In contrast to the “love scene” in Booksmart between Amy and Hope. It’s not about the graphic intensity of her sexual encounter. It’s about her experiencing sexual intimacy for the first time.

I'm glad that Hollywood is FINALLY prioritising the safety and comfort of their actors over the art. It's been long overdue, but it's finally here!

Thank you for the rational take on this matter. It baffles me that people can't differentiate between the actors and their characters. Understandably, everyone has their own thoughts and opinions, but those needn't be expressed all the time about everything. Let people live and do their jobs and get your own life so that you'd stop obsessing about people you don't actually know, much less own.

People are really insane if they think Penn Badgley was being “creepy” saying he didn’t want to do sex scenes. Yes it’s all consensual and it’s acting but it’s still his body simulating and depicting an act he doesn’t want to be associated with. I feel like I’m living in crazy town, the girl from euphoria that said she didn’t want to be nude as much was celebrated but he gets called a creep? Like that’s just insane

Damn, imagine being called a creep for staying loyal to your spouse.

The love scene in Don't Look Now is beautiful because it is that powerful moment of reconnection as well as their last time together. It's a powerful and necessary piece of the story and the storytelling.

The response to Chloe was ridiculous. And borderline racist. White women don’t get attacked for sexual scenes.

I absolutely agree with Penn Badgley, he has every right not to do any intimate (aka sex scenes if he doesn't want to) and that goes to every actor or actress. Quite frankly, I don't mind a scene of intimacy as long as it is not gratutious, which a lot of movie and television show are going for these day. Though, I think this goes back to MEN. I not just talking about all men, but a**hole men in general who just want to see women naked while they fantasize her in a sex scene. As for the Hayes Code.. The guy is just a hypocritical politician who wants to police people to how they should make their films. This is why I am proud of people like Zendaya who made a clause about not doing nudes. This made me respect her.

When it comes to the director and the actor(s) there is always a power dynamic. A good director understands and addresses that pressure. Respect is key.

I think you guys handled this analysis better than your previous video on Hollywood sex. Thanks for doing a better, more well-rounded take.

There are some sex scenes that I think kinda do what over exposure to porn can do, which is to say it can send some pretty potentially damaging messages about what is 'normal' in certain sexual practices. For example, actual members of the BDSM community properly dislike 50 Shades because its actually more of an abusove relationship, whereas a film like Secretary has been lauded as portraying BDSM much more truthfully and sensitively (albeit not completely the best representation). But on a much broader scale, I think sex scenes are difficult because what we are seeing is performative, whereas (IMO) sex with your partner shouldnt be like your performing for anyone, not even them. It should be about real connection and consenting fun.

As an ace I often cringe when i see yet another bedroom scene when it's not needed but on the other hand, I can blush and squeal when it's written well (which rarely happens). It feels like for some shows, sex scenes are just a distraction from the bad plot or acting.

So basically everything changed when a man spoke about the same issue women in Hollywood have been talking about for decades. But okay at least it's changing.

The CHARACTERS haven't consented??? Dear god, it's so stupid it hurts.

Penn's stance is totally valid how many stories have we heard of co-stars hooking up after portraying a couple on screen?

My biggest fear with all of this is how many people don't separate different issues surrounding Hollywood and consenting actors wishing to be in sex scenes, and other non-related issues. Like... I get most cannot digest spicy scenes; but to equate it with porn, and in the process demonize porn, while also equating it to s*x work and vilify the workers too... I cant help but think its an odd return to puritanical culture. And we all know how heteronormative and suppressing that was at its highest form. Hm.

In "Return of the King" there's a shot where Sam and his bride are surprised at their wedding, presumably by someone catching a bouquet. But they're actually reacting to Viggo Mortensen assaulting Billy Boyd with a non-consensual kiss. Dominic Monaghan later implies in an interview that it's not the first time it's happened, and that Mortensen was not the only one, attempting to make a joke out of it. But I haven't been able to look at Mortensen or the franchise the same way. It's clear in the clip that Boyd is uncomfortable, even on the verge of tears. Combined with certain comments made by Sean Bean regarding nudity in Game of Thrones, I shudder to think what the situation must have been like for Boyd while filming.

The problem is the internet doesn’t understand nuance everything is either black or white .

Penn really is outside the Hollywood actor bubble, sad to have to read tweets claiming he cheated on his wife or has a history of harassing the actresses he works with.

What I’ve learned about queer content in all its forms is that if the intimacy is respectful and genuine, it makes it that much more beautiful. (Not to say we don’t have our limitations too)

It isn't censorship if an actor or actress says "no".

We could have like less unnessecary bedroom-sex scenes and more representation of realistic healthy couples, platonic/non-romantic/non-sexual love+intimacy and aces and aros and aroace people for a change imo.

I had to ffwd through a lot of psychological thrillers in the 90s just because there was too much sex in the film or groping going on. I still do this. There are scenes in Black Swan that make me extremely uncomfortable that I have to skip to be able to watch the rest of the film. As an Ace/Aro I am more effected by this than ordinary people, and stuck with this idea that I am the only one who sees that everyone in every film or sitcom is doomed to have to hook up with one of the co stars to have a storyline. Because Joey was the ONLY one in Friends who didn't hook up with anyone permanently at the end of Season 10, everyone said he was a throwaway character but I don't think that's a fair accessment of him or any other character. Note the stereotype: Non straight/slightly tomboyish female character who in order to be accepted must dress outrageously feminine, have sex and find the right *man* by the end of the movie to be a success. Its tired, its unimaginative and it ruins a lot of stories. Knock it off!

There definitely needs to be some adjustments in media. Firstly nudity and sex need to be separated. One does not always have to include the other. Secondly, nudity should only be used when its necessary. There are times when it is a highly effective story telling tool but has been so misused in media just for the sake of it without any good justification beyond "hey lets have them be naked" or "lets have her in the shower (for no purpose)". Thirdly, intimacy does not equal sex. Sex scenes don't tell me (the viewer) that these two are in love. Cuddling on a couch, laughing with each other, hugs and kisses, just looking into each others eyes, being sweet together innocently (with all their clothes on) does a much better job of selling intimacy and love than any sex scene does. Picture a scene of a couple cooking together in the kitchen, sharing a touch to the stomach, a nudge of a nose against a shoulder or cheek, a small chuckle before a kiss. Way more effective than an uncomfortable roll in a bed with strategically placed bedsheets to make sure he is fully covered. Viewers don't require sex or nudity to sell love and media do a disservice to the story and the art by limiting it to such.

Dear The Take, This time you did it better with this topic than the first time!

This is a big motivation for my writing. So many adults are basically five year olds when it comes to sexual maturity. Look how everything gets so complicated with even the simplest scenes of intimacy, yet someone can get their spine ripped out in a children's TV show or pushed off a cliff. Violence is normal, but sex isn't? I'm sure most people engage in sexual activity than they do in violence on a daily basis, if not the same amount(in worst case, they do them at the same time). The fact that westernized, Christianity style romance is seen as some law of nature is one of the biggest setbacks in modern happiness.

Agreed about the importance of making sure everyone behind the camera is safe and comfortable. But I have to say, the strong aversion a lot of people seem to have to any kind of sex and/or nudity on screen these days baffles me.

If we start censoring art, there will be no end to it. It should be entirely left to the actors' decision whether to consent to an intimate scene or not. Simple as that.

funny thing, a great protrail of consent on a set is in the infamously brilliantly terrible romance movie love actually. Lots of problematic relations, but the one not problematic couple are body doubles/light doubles for adult movies and he always asks consent and does what he can to ensure she stays comfortable. its a very respectfful treatment both by him and by the movie itself towords someone people easely deny that curtesy for "she chose that job so her privecy or bodely autonomy do not count anymore"

I'm old enough to remember when the new openness was happening in the early 1970s films. It was shocking at the time to see films like Last Tango In Paris, Panic In Needle Park, Klute, Five Easy Pieces, Cinderella Liberty and others. Looking at the tenor of the times, the sexual revolution was in full roll, film makers were reflecting what they were seeing in society and pushing against the Hayes Code from the 1930s. That said, the sexual struggles of society and films portraying sex scenes have been relegated to the ashes of history. Now we are so saturated with depictions of sex by the internet, films, music videos and commercial television that sex is kind of boring. It's not censorship as much as it's a change of direction in the other way. My only concern is it becoming state sanctioned censorship and we end up in some weird Taliban-style society.

If you're a filmmaker, one way of approaching this is to ask yourself: "is this something that Céline Sciamma would film?" (as in "Portrait of a Lady on Fire", 2019). "Or is it just something that HBO execs would include?"

lmao that tomgreg sneak

Keep note that the hays code censored far more then romantic scenes, I dont think longing for a version of it to be reinstated is a great thing...

I guess I don't understand this. These actors are doing a job. Don't they get the chance to read the script and then decide if they are comfortable with any intimacy depicted and can thus accept or turn down a role accordingly? As long as all actors are aware of the expectations and have agreed to take the job, and all precautions are taken to keep things professional and respectful as far as how the scene is filmed, then what is the problem? It's like a window washer accepting a job at Big City Skyscraper Window Cleaners Inc., only to then balk when told to clean the windows of a very tall building, saying "Oh, I can't do that. I'm afraid of heights." If doing an intimate scene causes discomfort or problems in your marriage or is triggering, then turn down that role. I can see problems if an actor takes a long-term job with limited intimacy requirements only to find out that over the course of time, that requirement is increased - that is definitely unfair. In such a case, perhaps actors in long-running programs or franchise properties should have strongly-supported contracts that stipulate what they will and will not do at any time.

This video just made me subscribe. Great points and honestly a conversation that needs to happen more ❤

Fewer sex-scenes was definitely the least of You's Season 4 problems.

Hi! For me is fine to me if actors and actresses decide to film or not film intimate scenes. I am agree with u guys… sex should be in films if the story really need it.🎉

This... is SO hopelessly backwards, regressive, AND repressive!!! It's not about WHAT is being discussed and/or shown, it's HOW Hollywood goes about doing it. If any actor doesn't feel comfortable with doing sex scenes once it's already announced that the production will include sex scenes, fine, don't sign up for it and choose some other project... for that matter, it's the responsibility of the filmmakers to announce long beforehand that the scenes being filmed WILL feature explicit content. But don't exclude sex or nudity - you exclude one thing from mainstream cinema and you end up excluding all other things, including eventually things that artists CAN and SHOULD be allowed to depict onscreen, and most particularly subjects that DO need to be shown to the public. You'll end up giving way to puritanical totalitarianism and censorship, compromising pieces of art that artists poured years of planning and development into, and NO ART should be compromised or censored EVER!!! And the more you compromise art, the more people WILL get tired of the same safe things and demand more actual, you know, ADULT entertainment!!! Now, there ARE things we shouldn't show - I for one will NEVER condone animal cruelty or child pornography and think that anyone who actually commits them onscreen should be locked up for life. Also, I do believe that people in the system who abuse their wealth, fame and other privileges and responsibilities - like Harvey Weinstein - at the expense of those who want to have a career in the film and TV industry the honest way, should be locked up. But authentic depiction of legal sex age 18 and up, violence, drugs and language can and SHOULD be shown on screen if they fit the artists' visions, and they shouldn't be harshly cut and altered just to satisfy half-assed viewers' pretentious sense of self-entitlement. Art may require an audience, but it doesn't require submission to people who feel that they should dictate what is being shown and how, especially when they're not the ones creating the art. We've already had censorship in the form of the Hays Production Code starting nearly a century ago and that FAILED - we HAVE a RATINGS system, people!!! We shouldn't have to reduce art from R-rated to a tacky, overly tame PG-13 rating for vast commercial returns! Artists have been struggling over the past decade because of corporate takeovers which tend to play it safe trying to please everyone, and when you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing NO ONE!!! Stop listening to the few childish, overly prudish and repressed extremist conservative pussies and GROW UP!!! And don't even DARE attack people like me on the basis of being "politically incorrect" - that's just ANOTHER form of censorship and both independent and major studio productions have suffered ENOUGH from that!!!

I think there are times when sex scenes feel like they're adding in for the sake of filling time. So there's no point to it, so I just skip the scene. If the story isn't affected by it, then is it really needed?

I don't understand sex and nudity are bad but violence and murder is good? I find it unfair how its ok to show characters killing each other and bomb explosions killing people on film but its not ok to display intimate or sex scenes in movies.

Another fantastic video - thank you!

I do see a lot of content and I think that it’s nice to see Aro/ace/Aroace Coded Content but we should understand that it’s not a cudgel to fight one’s foes. It’s a very flimsy if you compare content to 70 years ago. They were operating under different circumstances.

Good nuanced video!

While I dont care for sex scenes, I would never try to censor or ban them. I can always just not watch the show/movie. I do think consent is important and I'm glad intimacy coaches are a thing. Consent is extremely important and it's good that actors and especially actresses can make their concerns know without being blacklisted.

Did... did they assault her with a STICK OF BUTTER? WTF?

That was my problem with a lot of movies. I told my friends that the love scenes in The mountain between us was so unnecessary. The love story was already great, but all my friends disagree

You Series Is Always In My Heart

To sum up US entertainment: Puritans came over on the mayflower and never came back

Love this conversation.

It doesn’t move a story forward as effectively as filmmakers think. The same can be said for prolonged torture & violen.ce but doubt we’ll be reducing those scenes anytime soon

Intimacy Coordinators will hopefully change the perception of intimacy on screen being ‘real’ rather than realise it’s very technical.

that's good to hear

True

As a viewer, I'm just more concerned about an actor's comfort level than the "shock" of sexual intimacy. There's ways to imply sexual contact without being graphic.

4:48 I think it depends. Often actors convince themselves they will do intimate scenes to go for the part and later admit they were never really comfortable with them. Take Emilia Clark or Game of Thrones for example. While I’m all for getting rid of salacious sex scenes that don’t serve the plot Hollywood is at its best when it’s a mirror of society and sex exists in real life and personally I think in the right circumstances it can add greatly to a film.

If the sex scene fits into the narrative, I don't care if it's there. I'm pretty neutral to them to be honest. What I care more about, is the actors comfort. I still remember when Jessica Alba was losing roles because she had a no nudity clause in her contract and people kept trying to trick her into doing them, and that's just off the top of my head. I don't want people to feel uncomfortable when they're working, regardless of the work. And I don't think hyper realistic sex acting is necessary for the illusion of intimacy or chemistry, it's the caliber of the actor that matters. I think it's bonkers that people are being shamed and called out for not wanting to do nudity or explicit sex scenes. People are allowed to have boundaries, especially at work.

I am not understanding the backlash with Penn Badgley or Chloe Bailey… what???

Oh boy... cant wait to see who gets to right the new hays code

The last scene in Cinema Paradiso… if you know you know

Like Bridgerton. People lost their minds and acted like Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley were lovers in real life. Saying thar Jonathan an openly gay man was really. He was just confused. Seriously people.

6:59 Now we need to get consent from the characters?? The CHARACTERS, not the actors. This is ridiculous

I still waiting a video about How Dan & Blair are the best couple of Gossip Girl!

People being mad that actors don't want to do sex scenes is so creepy. No means no, even when it's an entertainer, but for some reason people don't see entertainers as people

🙄 censor art?! I’m not a fan of that at all. This is less a conversation of censorship and more a conversation of how these Hollywood companies (all companies for that matter) take advantage of actors/employees. No one should have to do something that they didn’t consent too that wasn’t in the job description clearly laid out before them. In this case every explicit scene should be discussed before production with your cast and crew. Written consent and an outline should be made of what that does and does not entail clear and no grey area in the writing. If the actor chooses to not do it they are in their right to decline the project without repercussions. If an actor chooses to do it they shouldn’t be scrutinized by the public for something they consented too.

Hubby and I watched “You People” last night. It was a funny movie. We’re a biracial couple. I’m black. He’s white but our families accepted our relationship without issue….anyway, hubby said “why were the kisses like they were kissing a grannie?” I think a lot of younger actors don’t know how to portray intimacy honestly. Sex/intimacy is a part of the human experience. We don’t expect “Showgirls or Basic Instinct” but no kissing? No real intimacy?

Including that M*a*s*h scene made me so incredibly happy :D

Hold on! I do not want to go back to the censorship era. I do not understand why people think going backwards is moving forward. Stop romanticizing the past. These scenes should be made in collaboration with the actors, the writers, the directors, etc.

I missed the point that actors sign contracts. if those are clear (and not changable by one party) at least everybody knows what they signed up for.

I don't have any problem with sex on the screen--the more the merrier. But I don't want actors pressured to do things they don't want to do.

When sex scenes have deep meaning for the story (or are even artfully played for skillful comedy) it’s good, it’s art, it’s humanity. I also hate gratuitous sex scenes seemingly added in to be softcore porn for shock-value that don’t drive the narrative or develop characters. Of course, actor comfort and consent is completely necessary regardless of the aforementioned nature of sex scenes in cinema.

look up an article called "everyone is beautiful and no one was horny"

people need to get a grip

Make a video on the unexpected success of RRR in the Western market

The Subtitles/closed captions drop out at the 5 minute mark

The Take seems to only want to see more sex on movies, based on this and their previous video… Girls, did you know there’s a whole other genre for that? For real though, NO ONE is saying it is getting banned from movies or shows. It is more and more actors’ choices to stay away from these scenes

This analysis missed the opportunity to showcase how well Normal People tackled this subject matter.

Everything need not be part of the story. Sometimes, style is substance. Take out the music that is not part of the plot, the beautiful cinematographic shots that are not part of the plot, the wokeness that is not part of the plot, the cameos... etc. and cinema would not be that interesting. We all miss the love making scenes of the 70s, 80s and 90s!

One thing to add on the conversation: people unfortunately don't have the time to sit and relax, so our time enjoying movies and series is precious and we want a meaningful experience. Sex scenes, especially long ones, just fill time without giving relevant content. My sister during college had a very tight schedule, when arriving home she had only one hour to eat and have some leisure before needing to sleep and wake up in the morning to be gone all day, but she always tried to watch Penny Dreadful with me and mom. The next day, she would talk with her college friends about the episode, since they also liked to watch the show. One night, that was this episode that was basically ONLY sex scenes jumbled together, and of those scenes only one or two were plot relevant, but had way more length than needed, and if you skipped the episode you would barely notice it's existence. The next day all my sister's friends were FURIOUS because they chose to reserve a time on their busy schedules exclusively for the show and were rewarded with almost nothing content wise. And yeah, me, my sister and my mom felt almost robbed when the credits rolled because we were there waiting for something to happen but it was only sex scenes waisting our time.

Penn Badgley thinking that doing intimate scenes will somehow hurt his marriage is pretty telling I think - not exactly a professional mindset - but that's his choice and the overreaction was ridiculous.

Sex is a part of many people's lives, so I think it has a place in the stories we tell. There are even times when I think it's appropriate to tell stories about dangerous or toxic sexuality. But the people making these stories (writers, directors, actors, etc.) are real people who have the right to consent to telling these stories without being manipulated. No one should have to suffer to make art - everyone can enthusiastically consent to create moving and intriguing stories. On the subject of Penn Badgley, I think he has every right to refuse to do intimate scenes. However, that is going to limit the kinds of stories he's able to tell. If he's okay with limiting his creativity that way, we can be okay with it too. He may never portray a sexually passionate character again, but he can still be a snarky delusional stalker.

6:48 Haha this is so funny

It's male gaze that needs to be done with not sex scenes. MALE GAZE.

They sell very well on streaming nowadays. No one is paying that much money for a rom com when it’s better to watch it at home.

Imo when it comes to both horror and sex, the less shown, the greater the effect.

Intimacy is a part of human expirience. Movies should describe us, bring representation etc. The new movie with Emma Thompson about the sexuality of an older woman is very important I think. It's just a case of how we use it - as a part of the story or as a shoehorn, useless bait.

There's been ideas about putting trigger warnings for movies containing intimacy scenes, so people who are uncomfortable with them can easily avoid them.

I think the issue is that a lot of movies and tv shows don't do a good job of portraying consent in romantic scenes. It's all very agressive, I think movies like A Walk To Remember, which is pretty much the only religious romance movie I can watch and then the show South Of Nowhere do a pretty good job of portraying consent and romance, the female characters make it pretty clear when they don't want to do something, and instead of being coercive or agressive, the guy just backs off. And in season 1 of South Of Nowhere, Ashley and Spencer are fooling around with Aiden, and Ashley wants to kiss Spencer, but then Aiden comes back in, and Spencer changes her mind. And no big deal is made out of it Ashley makes sure Spencer's ok and they move on.

If it adds to the story yes but if we're being honest most of the time they aren't and it's male gaze oriented

People start to hate intumate scenes in movies and series because what they lack too much in real life. Men are more open about it, women suffer in silence. Life without love, intimate relationships, babies, family life, often without friends etc. is new normal for most.

8:44 Not sure if I fully agree with this, at least for people who like going into movies relatively blind. These types of content warnings are best on websites like “Does the dog die?” Edit: Plus, not to mention, imagine paying for a movie ticket only to get a triggering content warning at the start of the film. People who need the content warning need to seek out beforehand whether media is going to be triggering for them, as free of spoilers as possible.

I think we have to think about nuances here. There is a big difference between unnecessary intimacy scenes that do not contribute to the plot (euphoria) and the ones that are important to the plot and give the audience a feeling of connectedness to the characters (every kissing scene in every romance movie). There is also a difference between a sex scene, a kissing scene and a make out scene. While I like watching kissing scenes because they are romantic, some make out scenes and sex scenes do make me feel uncomfortable and keep me thinking, if they were even necessary for the plot. There is nothing wrong with showing the beginning of intercourse, but cutting it at a certain time firstly doesn’t leave the audience thinking they just watched porn and keeps the romance. So, I personally do not need explicit sex scenes in movies (only if those are important for the plot of the movie: fifty shades etc), but kissing scenes are important for the audience. I just know one movie that did not leave me unsatisfied at the end of it, because their wasn't a finally kiss between the protagonists and that was 2005 "Pride and Prejudice" (Europe version) because it was done so well.

I don't condone heavy-handed censorship, but I do feel that the explicit nature of many streaming shows is actually a distraction from the story-line many times, particularly when it comes to violence. There are some amazing shows that I find unwatchable, because the violence is so over the top, and relentless. I don't mind sex scenes but unless they propel the story along, they are superfluous.

Mila Kunis was pressured to pose nude to promote a movie, disagreement would end her career. Tragic. But it makes me wonder how Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Sandra Bullock, and more avoided this ugly reality