Emma Stone Defends Her 'Poor Things' Sex Scene
“So much of this was about being true to Bella’s experience,” Stone said. ”It (sex) is obviously a huge part of her experience and her growth.”
Emma Stone defends her sex scene in the new film, Poor Things.
Released December 2023, Poor Things tells the story of Bella Baxter (played by Stone) as she’s “brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (played by Willem Dafoe),” the description reads. “Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn,” and navigates newfound curiosity, which of course includes her sexual development.
However, a sex scene that crosses themes of sex work and youth led to strong criticism. As CNN reported, with BBC Radio 4 host Samira Ahmed deeming it inappropriate — even for Hollywood. Stone quickly revealed her rebuttal.
“So much of this was about being true to Bella’s experience,” Stone said. ”It (sex) is obviously a huge part of her experience and her growth, as it is, I think, for most people in life.” But where many seemed to only focus on her sex life, Stone urges viewers to consider Bella as a multidimensional being. “But I see it as just one aspect of many to her – her discovery of food or philosophy, travel and dance. Sex is another aspect.”
“One of the things that we had talked about from very early on and I thought was extremely important was that Bella is completely free and without shame about her body,” said Stone. “She doesn’t know to be embarrassed by these things or to cover things up or not dive into the full experience when it comes to anything.”
“So for the camera to sort of shy away from that, or to say like, ‘OK, well, we’ll just cut all of this out because our society functions in a particular way’… it felt like a lack of being honest about who Bella is.”
“I’m not a person that just wants to be naked all the time, but I am someone who wants to honor the character as fully as I possibly can,” said Stone. “That’s part of her journey, so who am I to say that should be shameful?” she concluded.
In other news, Milan Fashion Week opens with a collection inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s iconic erotic thriller, Eyes Wide Shut.
Share this article
