Martin Freeman has addressed the backlash over intimate scenes with Jenna Ortega in their latest film, Miller's Girl.
The Marvel actor plays Jonathan Miller, a creative writing teacher who embarks on a relationship with one of his students, 18-year-old Cairo Sweet (Ortega).
Following the film's release in January, the 31-year age gap between the two actors raised some eyebrows, with Freeman now defending the project and saying the story is "grown-up and nuanced" in an interview with The Times.
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"It's not saying, 'Isn't this great'," he added, pointing out how some stories dealing with difficult subjects can be tainted by association.
"And that's a shame. Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?" he continued.
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Miller's Girl writer-director Jade Halley Bartlett and the cast worked with intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona, who helped choreograph the sex scenes and made sure Ortega felt comfortable given the big age gap with Freeman.
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"There was many, many people throughout the process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do," Arjona told the Daily Mail.
"Part of my job too is supporting her decisions. I adapt to whatever is the comfort level of my actors, especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors."
Arjona also explained there were "different variations" of the intimate sequences that were shown to test audiences to determine "what was too much".
Miller's Girl is streaming on Netflix US now. It's available to buy or rent in the UK.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
