Poor Things Director Yorgos Lanthimos Talks Nudity In Movies: 'We’re So Prudish About Sexuality’
The filmmaker isn't a fan of squeamishness where his movies are concerned, especially not in this sexually liberated tale.
Poor Things has a stacked cast that includes Emma Stone in one of her best roles as Bella Baxter, so the project one of the most-anticipated films set to hit the 2023 movie schedule. (It's out in the U.S. on December 8, FYI.) But the oddball fantasy—centered on young Victorian woman who, after being brought back to life by a scientist—runs off with a slick lawyer (a hilariously rakish Mark Ruffalo) on a journey of self-discovery and sexual liberation—is also raising eyebrows for its numerous graphic nude scenes.
It's a "prudishness" that the film's director Yorgos Lanthimos (who also collaborated with Stone in the similarly provocative The Favourite which she was nominated at the 2019 Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress) doesn't share. What's more, he doesn't understand the issue.
In a joint interview with Stone for The New York Times, the filmmaker spoke about his frustrations over the way violence is allowed to be handled so liberally in film, but sex scenes cause such a stir.
The actress also weighed in on the topic, giving on-set details about how the performers and the production team handled the sensitivity of such scenes.
And given that the word "gratuitous" is so often thrown around scenes of such nature, Stone was quick to assure that the onscreen nudity was essential to the shamelessly sexual character of Bella Baxter.
When asked by The New York Times if she, in portraying Bella, felt "emboldened" to stay in that space of shamelessness as a performer, Stone quipped:
Stone's fearlessness might just pay off in the upcoming awards season, with the delightfully weird Poor Things considered to be a major contender across the acting, cinematography, costume and production design categories.
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Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, entertainment and lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. Regularly covers Bravo shows, Oscar contenders, the latest streaming news and anything happening with Harry Styles.