Sydney Sweeney, the talented actress sweeping everyone off their feet as Cassie Howard in Euphoria, recently opened up about the realities of filming those oh-so-intimate scenes that leave viewers, and sometimes even her family, speechless. Can you imagine being the one on set, facing the camera while your loved ones are gasping in shock over your latest role? It’s a wild world where artistry collides with the personal—Sweeney shines a light on this dilemma, revealing how she navigates the complexities of on-screen nudity while hoping to reshape how viewers perceive her work. It’s not just about shedding clothes; it’s about shedding that label of “sex symbol” and getting real about the characters they portray. Who knew acting could come with such a heartfelt wish for public understanding? Buckle up, as we dive into Sweeney’s candid reflections on her performances and the underlying messages she wishes to convey. LEARN MORE.
Sydney Sweeney has made a candid admission about what it’s like to perform sexually explicit scenes as an actor.
Sweeney, 27, is best known for her role as Cassie Howard in edgy coming-of-age drama Euphoria, as well as starring in The White Lotus, Anyone But You and Immaculate.
Given the sexual nature of her breakout role, the actor appears to be more than comfortable with filming nude – despite the shocked reactions from her family – however, she does wish there was one thing viewers would remember while watching the show.
Sydney Sweeney has shared her thoughts on filming nude scenes as an actor (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
During a 2022 discussion about how she approaches her work as an actor with The Hollywood Reporter, Sweeney previously revealed that she feels like people sometimes ‘forget’ she’s playing a character, particularly when it comes to her filming without clothes on.
“People forget that I’m playing a character, they think, ‘Oh, she gets naked onscreen, she’s a sex symbol’ and I can’t get past that.,” she explained, seemingly as a reference to the amount of naked scenes she’s filmed as Cassie.
Sweeney then went on to explain that she has ‘no problem’ with shooting nude scenes, but simply wishes the public would change how they view actors who perform them.
“I have no problems with those scenes, and I won’t stop doing them, but I wish there was an easier way to have an open conversation about what we’re assuming about actors in the industry,” she added.
This isn’t the first time Sweeney has spoken about getting her kit off on camera, with the actor previously revealing that she’d found being naked on-screen ‘comfortable’.
Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard (HBO)
Speaking about how intimate scenes are choreographed on shows such as Euphoria, Sweeney explained to Variety and fellow actor Christina Ricci that sets she’s worked on use intimacy co-ordinators.
“We choreograph the whole thing. Sometimes there’s yoga mats that you can put in between each other,” she explained.
“And even if you have agreed to something, they ask you on the spot on the day, ‘Did you change your mind? Because you can.’ It’s really nice. I’ve never felt uncomfortable.”
Sweeney then went on to add that starring in the HBO series had even improved how she felt about herself, adding: “I have weirdly become very confident with my body through Cassie.”
Euphoria is currently filming it’s long awaited third and final season, which will see Sweeney reunite with co-stars Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi and Alexa Demie.
Details about the upcoming series are currently thin on the ground, however, Zendaya previously dropped a hint at what fans could expect to see, revealing there would be time jump which would see the younger characters out of high school. “There’s only so much high school drama you can deal with,” she told Entertainment Weekly’s The Awards podcast.