How Far do the Boundaries Extend: Celebrities and Consent in their Art

Penn Badgley, the highly acclaimed #actor who has played iconic roles ranging from Dan Humphrey in CW’s “Gossip Girl” to Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s “You,” recently caused a major discourse online when he stated that he wanted to limit the number of "intimacy situations" in his shows because of his marriage to singer Domino Kirke.

Last week on his podcast "Podcrushed," Badgley discussed how the number of sex scenes he anticipated he'd have to do for "You" was a crucial factor in his not wanting to portray serial killer/love addict Joe Goldberg in 2017. After all, the entire series focuses on Joe's love obsessions and how he manipulates the ladies he's fallen for, and naturally, the show was written with quite a few intimate scenes in mind.

While some fans claimed that his comments were “anti-sex” and “unprofessional,” others argued that it is ultimately the actor’s choice to maintain boundaries for his own personal relationship.

#Acting is a profession that requires an immense amount of skill and dedication. As such, actors are asked to perform a wide range of emotions and physical actions, including sex scenes. However, filming sex scenes can be a daunting experience for these performers, even those who have been in the business for many years, and having a camera crew, directors, and sound engineers watching can be unnerving and uncomfortable. In recent years, the methods around shooting sex scenes have changed significantly, with intimacy coordinators increasingly being used across the business to assist and protect actors and #performers.

It's a strange phenomenon, really. On one hand, we expect actors to throw themselves into their roles without inhibitions. We want to see raw and intense performances, and often demand actors to cross boundaries to make it seem more real. But when an actor states their limits and refuses to go beyond them, we reprimand them for their “unprofessionalism.” It's almost as if we feel entitled to watch them perform these #scenes, and get frustrated when they don't deliver.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Let us know in the comments! #younetflix #pennbadgley #boundaries #Netflix #netflixseries