Nathalie Emmanuel explains where she draws the line when it comes to nudity on screen.
Emmanuel, who played Missandei on HBO’s “Game of Thrones” for seven seasons, stated that while she agreed to “certain nude scenes or nudity” for the show, there was a mistaken assumption that she would be comfortable doing nude scenes in future projects.
“And the perception from other projects, when the role required nudity, that I was just open to doing anything because I did it on that one show,” Emmanuel said on a May 25 episode of the podcast “Make It Reign with Josh Smith.” “But what people didn’t realize was that I agreed to specific terms and conditions for that one project.”
“I’ve had people challenge me and say, ‘But this part requires that,’ to which I replied, ‘Well, that’s fine if you require that in the part.’ I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that level of nudity. I’ll do this amount, you know, what I think is necessary for the part,’ “Emmanuel elaborated.
Despite the fact that “nine out of ten” people were willing to compromise, Emmanuel said she declines roles that require full nudity.
“I’d say, ‘well, thank you very much, I appreciate your interest, but that’s just not what I feel is necessary for this part, and it’s a difference of opinion and creative differences, and that’s fine,” she explained. Emmanuel stated that the experience of standing up for herself taught her a life lesson in self-assurance and pride.
“No one can criticize you for simply expressing your opinion as long as you are respectful,” she said. “That was one of the first lessons in challenging people in positions of power or power systems.” Emmanuel isn’t the only actress who has spoken out about the difficulties of appearing naked on camera.
On an episode of the “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard” podcast in November 2019, fellow “Thrones” co-star Emilia Clarke discussed feeling pressured into a “(expletive) ton of nudity” during the show’s first season.
“I’m a lot more savvy now about what I’m comfortable with and what I’m okay with doing,” Clarke said, adding that she’s been in “fights on set before where I’m like, ‘No, the sheet stays up.'”
Salma Hayek revealed in February that she sobbed while filming the love scene in her breakout film, “Desperado.”
“When we were about to start shooting, I started sobbing,” Hayek said on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, adding, “I don’t know if I can do it.” I’m scared.”
Keira Knightley had previously stated that she was not interested in filming nude scenes unless they were directed by a female filmmaker”If (the film) was about motherhood and literally how extraordinary that body is… then yeah, I’d totally be up for exploring that with a woman who would understand that,” Knightley said in an interview for the Chanel Connects podcast. “However, I’m now very uncomfortable portraying the male gaze.” Following the #MeToo movement, more Hollywood productions have hired intimacy coordinators on set to assist actors during nudity-required scenes. On Sunday, Michaela Coel, who co-wrote “I May Destroy You,” which explores themes of sexual abuse and consent, dedicated her acceptance speech at the 2021 BAFTA Television Awards to Ita O’Brien, her intimacy coordinator.
“Thank you for your existence in our industry, for making the space safe, for creating physical, emotional and professional boundaries so that we can make work about exploitation, loss of respect, about abuse of power without being exploited or abused in the process,” Coel said.
