Martin Freeman faced intense backlash over an x-rated scene with co-star Jenna Ortega in the movie Miller’s Girl, which sparked controversy due to their significant age gap. While many viewers found the scene uncomfortable and troubling, Freeman defended the film, stating that it was meant to be a grown-up and nuanced portrayal of a complex relationship. He argued that stories about difficult subjects should not be dismissed due to societal stigmas, drawing a comparison to Liam Neeson’s role in Schindler’s List.
In Miller’s Girl, Ortega played an 18-year-old student, Cairo Sweet, while Freeman portrayed her teacher, Jonathan Miller. The film revolves around their inappropriate relationship, which begins when Cairo writes a sex story for a creative writing assignment given to her by Jonathan. The explicit scenes depicting their relationship stirred controversy among audiences, particularly due to the age difference between the co-stars. Despite the criticism, intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona revealed that Ortega was comfortable and confident during the filming of the scenes.
Arjona emphasized the importance of ensuring the actors’ comfort and boundaries throughout the filming process, especially when dealing with such sensitive content and a significant age gap between the co-stars. She discussed the level of nudity, simulated sex scenes, and appropriate garments to maintain a respectful distance between Ortega and Freeman. The actors were given detailed information about the scenes in advance and had the option to change their minds on the day of filming if they felt uncomfortable.
The production team engaged in thorough discussions with the cast and crew before shooting the scenes, and test audiences were used to determine the appropriate level of intimacy to be portrayed on screen. The sensitivity of the film’s content led to various approaches to shooting the scenes, allowing audiences to provide feedback on what was considered acceptable. Ortega had previously been involved in a sex scene in the movie X with Kid Cudi when she was 19 and he was 37, indicating her prior experience with intimate scenes in films.
Despite the controversy surrounding the x-rated scene in Miller’s Girl, both Freeman and Ortega, along with the intimacy coordinator, emphasized the importance of respecting the actors’ boundaries and ensuring their comfort throughout the filming process. The film’s portrayal of a complex and inappropriate relationship between a student and teacher challenged societal norms and sparked discussions about age-gap romances in cinema. While the scene received backlash from viewers, the actors and production team defended its inclusion, highlighting their commitment to portraying the characters’ story authentically and responsibly.
