Penn Badgley asked for no sex scenes in YOU Season 4

[jimmytimestep 2,488]

On 2/10/2023 at 2:25 PM, FfFfFfFF said:

Does an actor give an implicit consent for filming sex scene when applying to a role? Can that actor remove his consent during the filming process? Can a company demand him to play the sex scene or otherwise be fired? Could this be seen as coercion of blackmail and/or a lesser form of sexual harrasment? To what extend actors rent their body up during the filming? etc etc

Generally, if there are sexual situations or nudity planned for a role, actors are notified upfront, before they audition and even before their agents/managers submit them for consideration to audition. Therefore, they can decline upfront or their agent/manager can not submit them if the agent/manager knows said actor is not comfortable with such content.

And even after an actor books a role, oftentimes there are nudity riders that EXPLICITLY spell out what an actor in an intimate scene is willing to do/show/etc. 

that said, I think it’s great he’s doing this; if something has changed in his personal life that affects his comfort, more power to him. I think what makes people a little suss is that it’s season 4…we know how sexually charged the show is, so why now vs the other three seasons? But again, people’s circumstances change!

[jimmytimestep 2,488]

On 2/10/2023 at 7:44 PM, Future Lovers said:

Does an actor give an implicit consent for filming sex scene when applying to a role?
No, they give explicit consent. Actors are informed up front about all sex scenes and scenes that require nudity. It will not be sprung on them in the middle of production, they are informed in the auditioning process or when they're offered the role if there is no audition. At this point, they're free to either negotiate changes to the scene or decline the role.

Can that actor remove his consent during the filming process?
Yes they can. If they do, they can work with the set's intimacy coordinator to either rechoreograph the scene or they can discuss with production the use of a body double. 

Can a company demand him to play the sex scene or otherwise be fired?
They can try but this opens them up to a lawsuit that the actor will almost certainly win, even if they signed the contract ahead of time. 

Could this be seen as coercion of blackmail and/or a lesser form of sexual harrasment?
If they're threatened into it, yes, it can and will be. This is why there are intimacy coordinators on set. To not just ensure the safety and consent of all actors involved, but to act as a middle person between an actor and a production crew. They would intervene before it got to this point in most scenarios, and if they didn't, then they will also be held responsible in any legal action taken. 

To what extend actors rent their body up during the filming?
They can do as much or as little as they want to do. At the end of the day, if they say no then it's a no and any production studio who doesn't take no for an answer will not get away with it for long. Acting unions, intimacy coordinators, and studio HR departments don't take this lightly in the wake of the Me Too movement. Performing sex scenes on a set today is safer than it ever has been and there is a much more open dialogue between production and actors when it comes to them. 

It is important to remember that sex scenes are not open season like they used to be. The actors are not completely naked (if there is any nudity at all, there will be additional protections in place for the performer and they will not be completely naked during the shoot no matter what unless the scene explicitly calls for it in which case there will be arrangements made ahead of time for how to approach this), they're making limited actual physical contact, all performers must provide explicit consent both ahead of time and during the shoot, that consent can be withdrawn at any time, and there are sexual health professionals on set at all times to ensure that all performers remain safe and comfortable through the entire duration of filming these scenes. 

Ope @Future Lovers already spelled it out way better than I did!