10 actors who refused to be in nude or sex scenes

Here is a list of 17 actors who have refused to be in nude scenes or sex scenes. The reasons for this include respect for their partners, their families and their religion.
Megan Fox has declined roles in the past, citing concerns about graphic content that she felt might be inappropriate for her family.

1- Kaley Cuoco has expressed a preference to avoid filming sex scenes in the future, opting instead to utilise a body double. “I don’t find that to be my forte. I prefer to have someone else handle those scenes,” she stated. “I’ve moved on from that. I’m not pursuing that route anymore. Moreover, it’s not that I’m averse to the idea, but I’m not particularly interested in doing that myself. I’d rather have someone else take on that role, and that’s where movie magic comes in. We don’t have to do those things anymore. We can have someone else do it, and we can fake our way through.”

Amy Sussman / Getty Images

2- Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in over 150 movies and has avoided showing full-frontal nudity in all of them. He has said that, were he ever in that position, he would probably ask for a “dick double”.

Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images for MoMA
When Howard Stern inquired as to whether Samuel felt his penis was not of sufficient size, Samuel responded, “I am uncertain as to whether it is sufficiently imposing. My aura is so substantial, I am not certain if my penis is of sufficient girth to accommodate it.”

3- It has been said that Penn Badgley asked You creator Sera Gamble for fewer sex scenes in Season 4, out of respect for his marriage. He explained that he would prefer not to have any sex scenes at all, but was willing to compromise with the writers.

John Nacion / WWD via Getty Images

On an episode of his podcast, Podcrushed, he explained, “Fidelity in every relationship, including my marriage, is important to me. I’ve reached a point where I’m no longer willing to do that.”He also mentioned that, given the nature of the series, he was aware that intimate scenes might not be feasible.”I signed this contract. I signed up for this show. I know what I did. It’s not possible to separate this aspect from the concept. I asked them how much less they could make it, and they didn’t push back at all.”Sera was pleased with his honesty, and her response was very positive. They offered a significant reduction.

4- Jameela Jamil has stated that she does not participate in the filming of sex scenes, and that she decided not to audition for You Season 4 due to this. “I don’t think I would have enjoyed the idea of objectifying myself, personally,” she explained. “But that’s also because I have experienced a lot of deep, personal issues related to sexual trauma during my childhood. So, I think that was never an option for me. She added that while she occasionally wears skirts or busty tops, she generally feels protective of herself and does not participate in sex scenes.

Gareth Cattermole / Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images

“I believe I was meant to audition for the most recent season of your show, but ultimately did not participate due to my personal discomfort with the concept of appearing in a sexually provocative role,” she confided to Penn Badgley during an episode of his podcast Podcrushed.”Subsequently, you shared your decision to abstain from such scenes moving forward. I was unaware that that was something we could not include in the show.In hindsight, I wish I had taken the opportunity to participate.

5- Keira Knightley has expressed her decision to consider carefully whether to participate in nude scenes for male directors, a consideration that has become more significant for her since becoming a mother in 2015. She has articulated that while she does not adhere to an absolute ban, she does have a personal policy that she applies to male directors. She has cited both vanity and the male gaze as factors that inform her decision.

Amy Sussman / Getty Images

She added that she understands that sex can sometimes be a key part of a story, but she would prefer if someone else, like a body double, were to film the scene. “You could consider using a body double. I understand that I’m too vain, and that the body has had two children now, but I’d prefer not to stand in front of a group of men naked.”

6- Mahershala Ali has revealed that he was not initially interested in taking on a role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. However, he reconsidered when director David Fincher kindly agreed to rethink a sex scene between him and his costar Taraji P. Henson. Ali, being a Muslim, explained that he felt it would be better to change the scene in order to respect his religion.

Amy Sussman / Getty Images for Deadline
He mentioned that when his agent informed him of his booking, he expressed his concern about participating in a sex scene, citing his personal preferences. Fincher then made the scene less graphic, and according to Mahershala, he and Taraji simply “fall out of the frame” after their kiss.

7- Neal McDonough has a strong personal policy of refraining from any form of intimacy on camera with individuals who are not his wife, and he has declined to participate in any scenes that involve such content. This has, regrettably, led to the unfortunate situation of him losing a role in the soap opera Scoundrels.

Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images for Young Artist Academy
“It was a challenging period for me. Subsequently, I experienced difficulties in securing employment, as perceptions of me as a religious zealot proved challenging,” Neal shared with Closer Weekly.

“My personal beliefs are deeply rooted in religion, with God, family and myself as my priorities. This was a period that demanded resilience. Eventually, Graham Yost, the producer of Band of Brothers, reached out with an opportunity to appear on Justified. I knew that was my opportunity to get back on my feet.”

8- Julia Roberts has appeared in films that include raunchy sex scenes, but she has expressed a preference for these scenes to be toned down.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images for Critics Choice Association

When asked about the possibility of her doing a nude scene, she replied, “You know, it’s not really my area of expertise, so if you are going to ask me to do it, I would need to consider how to approach it in a way that feels appropriate. As a mother of three, I feel that it would need to be toned down.”

9- Megan Fox has declined roles on occasion due to the potential for graphic sexual content that she feels may be inappropriate for her family. She has expressed her appreciation for the projects she has encountered, citing the talent of the cast and directors. However, she has also mentioned that the depictions of female characters in these projects may not align with her personal values, as she would prefer her sons to not be exposed to such content.

Alberto Tamargo / Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
She respectfully declined an HBO role that would have involved playing a sex worker, explaining that such roles can sometimes be degrading to the women who play them.

10- It is understood that Rebel Wilson has a specific clause in her contracts for comedies that rules out any nudity.

Dave Benett / Dave Benett / Getty Images
Marie Claire UK asked Rebel about the production of The Brothers Grimsby, during which she said that the producers had wanted full-frontal nudity, despite the explicit nature of the content. She explained that the contract specifically stated that such content was not to be included, and that they had employed a larger burlesque dancer from South Africa as a nude double. She also mentioned that Sacha Baron Cohen, the movie’s writer and star, had expressed his approval of the actress’s appearance. I respectfully declined, preferring to focus on the integrity of my own artistic vision.”When asked if she would consider appearing nude in a more serious role, she added, “It’s essential to have confidence in the sensibility and decency of the people behind the camera. In comedy, it’s often challenging to find individuals who share these values.”