‘There are some things which are private’: Joanna Lumley discusses ‘intolerable’ sex scenes
The Absolutely Fabulous star hit out at raunchy on-screen scenes, saying ‘thank God I’m beyond it now’
Joanna Lumley has hit out at sex scenes on screen
/ Getty Imagesoanna Lumley has hit out at sex scenes in flim and on television branding them “intolerable” and “revolting” and if she had her way, it wouldn’t be allowed.
Back in 2004, the actress wrote in her memoir about the expectation for actresses to strip, including herself.
Drawn on the topic in a new interview with The Guardian, the 77-year-old Absolutely Fabulous star, who will next be seen in ITV’s Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure from July 5, said stripping off was “standard” practice when she was a younger actress.
Lumley also revealed that they were told “you’re not a real actress unless you take your top off”.
“Nobody liked it, like nobody likes intimate kissing or sex scenes,” she told the publication. “All this ghastly stuff we have to pretend to do. Everybody knows it’s pretending and it’s kind of soft porn, and now we’ve got coaches to teach us how to do it. Thank God I’m beyond it now.”
Joanna Lumley pictured circa 1970
/ Getty ImagesDespite no longer having the expectation placed on her to partake, she still finds amorous scenes on screen a huge turn-off.
“I find them intolerable! I think they’re revolting, I don’t know why people write them and I don’t know why we watch them.
“We wouldn’t have films of people sitting on the loo. There are some things which are private,” she concluded.