Penn Badgley gets brutally honest about filming sex scenes: “I hump my ass off”

Penn Badgley has never been one to sugarcoat the realities of Hollywood, and his latest revelation about filming sex scenes for Netflix’s psychological thriller You is no exception. The 38-year-old actor, who captivated audiences as the obsessive Joe Goldberg for five seasons, recently opened up about the decidedly unglamorous process of creating those intimate moments that had viewers glued to their screens.

In his upcoming essay collection titled Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age, co-authored with his Podcrushed podcast co-hosts Sophie Ansari and Nava Kavelin, Badgley pulls back the curtain on what really happens when the cameras roll. The actor describes a particularly challenging fantasy sequence where his character Joe had to imagine another woman while being intimate with his on-screen wife, Love Quinn, played by Victoria Pedretti.

What makes this revelation particularly striking is Badgley’s characteristic bluntness about the process. He writes about filming a scene where Joe Goldberg is “meant to be humpin’ on his wife, with whom he has become not only bored but also contemptuous,” while fantasizing about librarian Marienne Bellamy, portrayed by Tati Gabrielle.

The technical challenges of filming such scenes became even more complex during the show’s production. Since the makers were unable to place Pedretti and the camera equipment in the same room, Penn Badgley had to shoot the scene himself in a room surrounded by the crew. This meant the actor had to dig deep into his craft, imagining the camera as his scene partner while maintaining the emotional authenticity the role demanded.

This made for some odd moments, as there wasn’t space for both Pedretti and the seven-hundred-pound camera set-up, which left Badgley to “simulate sex by myself, effectively humpin’ on the air, on a fake bed in a fake room, surrounded by a film crew.”

“Oh, and I’ll be in the same nude thong I’ve been wearing all morning as we complete the scene, of course,” he adds. Then, the scene changes as he’s informed that he’ll no longer be “humping the air with the camera in my face, but I’m going to be looking straight down the barrel of the lens, something I reflexively never do.”

Badgley’s approach to overcoming the inherent awkwardness of the situation reveals his dedication to the craft, albeit with his trademark self-deprecating humor. He describes the moment of transformation, noting: “A moment ago there was only resistance in my body to do what was needed, but upon the utterance of one word — action — I am supremely present in the face of sheer absurdity. I look in camera. And I hump my ass off.”

This candid admission comes against the backdrop of Badgley’s well-documented evolution regarding intimate scenes throughout the series. The actor had previously asked series creator Sera Gamble to eliminate intimacy scenes from Season 4, citing fidelity in his marriage to musician and doula Domino Kirke as a primary concern. However, for the show’s final season, he made the difficult decision to return to form.

The irony isn’t lost on fans who remember Badgley’s previous stance. He had explained his reasoning by saying, “Fidelity in every relationship, and especially my marriage, is really important to me. It just got to a point where I don’t want to do that”. Yet, when it came to giving Joe Goldberg a proper send-off, artistic integrity ultimately won out.

For the show’s conclusion, Badgley explained they “really had to return to form” with his lead being seen as “a romantic icon,” disarming his victims with his charm. This creative decision meant embracing the character’s most manipulative traits, even when it conflicted with the actor’s personal preferences.

The essay collection, which hits shelves on October 14, promises more such unfiltered insights into the entertainment industry and personal growth. The book explores what it means to come of age at every stage of life, with Badgley chronicling his journey “from a twelve-year-old, Discman-toting introvert” to his Hollywood career.

Meanwhile, Badgley’s personal life has been equally eventful. He recently welcomed twin boys with his wife, Domino Kirke, in September, adding to their family that already includes a 5-year-old son and a son from Kirke’s previous relationship. This expanding family certainly adds context to his earlier reluctance about filming intimate scenes with other actors.

As You concludes its run on Netflix, Badgley’s frank discussion about his character’s final intimate moments serves as a fitting capstone to a show that never shied away from exploring the darker aspects of modern romance and obsession.