Keira Knightley says she will not strip down for sex scenes directed by men 'because I’m too vain'
Keira Knightley and director Lulu Wang were a part of a podcast presented by Chanel Connects. This conversation was led by writer Diane Solway and it was in this podcast that Knightley had revealed she would no longer be stripping down for sex scenes that are directed by men. She first explained that the ban is not on sexual scenes entirely but just the ones directed by men and said, "I don’t have an absolute ban, but I kind of do with men."
She further stated, "It’s partly vanity and also it’s the male gaze." One of the sex scenes that Knightley had acted in was featured in 'Atonement' and she had in fact praised the direction of the scene by Joe Wright. Speaking of why she had felt uncomfortable at present, she explained, "I feel very uncomfortable now trying to portray the male gaze. Saying that, there’s times where I go, ‘Yeah, I completely see where this sex would be really good in this film, and you basically just need somebody to look hot'.”
She also confirmed that she would be open to performing more sexual scenes but it has to definitely be with a female director. She explained, "If I was making a story that was about that journey of motherhood and body acceptance, I feel like, I’m sorry, but that would have to be with a female filmmaker," and added, "I don’t want it to be those horrible sex scenes where you’re all greased up and everybody is grunting. I’m not interested in doing that.”
She also spoke about how motherhood had changed her feelings about scenes that have nudity. She said that she would prefer to see actors get cast for those parts and said, "So, therefore, you can use somebody else, because I’m too vain and the body has had two children now, and I’d just rather not stand in front of a group of men naked.”
She also noted that more female directors need to dabble in films that have sex scenes and direct them so that the male directors understand why actors would feel uncomfortable. She explained, "We all empathize with men hugely because, culturally, their experience is so explored. We know so many aspects of even male sexuality. But we don’t feel like men can say, ‘Yes, I understand what you’re talking about, because I’ve got this wealth of art and film and theater and TV from your point of view'.”