'Rivals' uncensored: If you were amazed by Tom Pelphrey's junk, wait till you see Alex Hassell's trunk
Contains spoilers for 'Rivals'
LONDON, ENGLAND: Tom Pelphrey's decision to go fully nude in 'A Man in Full' had raised many eyebrows earlier this year. It's generally the man's buttocks that face the camera, and if the scene demands them to turn around, they hide their modesty behind a towel or sheets. Pelphrey performed a full-frontal scene, unapologetically flaunting his erection. Now Alex Hassell is here to compete with him.
Alex Hassell, known for his brief appearance in 'The Boys', makes the jaws hit the ground with his irresistible persona and unfiltered love-making scenes in Hulu's latest release 'Rivals'. The eight-episodic drama is based on Jilly Cooper's 1988 novel of the same name, and Alex Hassell plays a charming distraction amid all the rivalry, infidelity, and betrayal.
Alex Hassell goes nude in Hulu's 'Rivals'
In the opening scene of 'Rivals,' Hassell gives a peek into what you’re signing up for. The camera zooms into Hassell's buttocks as he makes love to a journalist in the lavatory of an aircraft. This character, Rupert Campbell-Black is an ex-Olympian, a minister, and a heartthrob for women of all ages. He had an ugly divorce and now he distracts himself by being sexually involved with young and beautiful women. He is also infamous for his nude tennis games.
In the first episode of 'Rivals', Taggie O'Hara (Bella Maclean) spots smoke in the distance and rushes to a nearby mansion to alert its residents. However, she's in for a surprise when she stumbles upon Rupert in the middle of a tennis game—completely nude—playing alongside newly-wedded Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack), also naked. The woman quickly grabs a piece of cloth and escapes the scene while Rupert turns, exposing his private parts, and making 19-year-old Taggie uncomfortable.
Why Alex Hassell going bold in 'Rivals' isn't a big deal
Hassell goes all in with multiple bold scenes, each one more surprising than the last, though it’s nothing that should be turned into a major fuss. Tom Pelphrey already did it in Netflix's 'A Man in Full' and so did Barry Keoghan in 'Saltburn' when he danced around naked after getting rid of everyone.
Traditionally, it's been women bearing the brunt of bold scenes, while male actors often got off easy. While nudity isn’t exactly the focus when we talk about gender equality in entertainment, there’s no harm in flipping the script for a change. A few months ago, Nicola Coughlan faced the flak for going nude in 'Bridgerton' Season 3. It's 2024, and the aim here isn't to objectify a particular gender but to normalize the way we look at human bodies.
Sure, Hassell might be a bit too attractive to fit the category that needs normalizing, but it's still a step in that direction. Similarly, Coughlan's bold scene in 'Bridgerton' marked a shift by portraying a curvy woman in a passionate moment—a rare sight when such scenes usually feature only slim actresses.
'Rivals' is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
