Thandie Newton Recalls Harrowing Experience of Being Tricked to Film Nude Scenes

Thandie Newton might spend 75 percent of her scenes on “Westworld” fully nude, but she wasn’t always comfortable with dropping trou for the camera. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 45-year-old actress opened up about feeling “objectified” on sets after being continually tricked to film nude scenes without her consent.

In a roundtable conversation with other leading actresses, such as Elisabeth Moss and Sandra Oh, Newton revealed that, before “Westworld,” directors have often told her that they were filming her from the bust up—only to discover later that her entire body was exposed. Though a majority of her scenes on “Westworld” are nude, Newton explained that she was drawn to the show, in which she plays an android in an amusement park, because her character’s nudity wasn’t sexualized.

“That’s why I took the show. I’ve been objectified,” Newton said. “I’ve had directors lie to me when I’m in a naked situation on a movie and been told that they’re cutting here (motions to her bust line and up) when in fact they’re shooting from here (motions to whole body), so you see everything. I‘ve had terrible things happen, so to be able to say to the showrunners of ‘Westworld,’ ‘I am willing to stand for 75 percent of this season totally naked” because it wasn’t a sexual context [is powerful].'”

Source: Instagram

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However, the nudity in “Westworld” hasn’t only been enlightening for Newton. The actress revealed that the show, which also requires several male characters to disrobe on camera, has also been a learning experience for men who now understand what it’s like to be a woman and expose themselves onscreen.

“To see this man terrified of being naked when Evan Rachel Wood and I have grown accustomed to it, sitting there, having a chat, a glass of water, totally naked, it was very touching,” Newton said. “He’s learned that it’s really tough…Men are also really worried about how their bodies look. So much more worried than us. Like these guys on ‘Westworld’ are all, ‘How does my bum look? I’m really scared. Can you do some shading here and there?’ And we’re like, ‘Really?'”

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Newton’s words are proof that she’s both an inspiration onscreen and off.