Emma Stone defends a sex scene in ‘Poor Things,’ emphasizing the importance of honoring the authenticity and complexity of her character, Bella Baxter.
Released in December 2023, ‘Poor Things’ tells the story of Bella Baxter (portrayed by Emma Stone), who is “brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter (played by Willem Dafoe),” according to the description. “Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn,” navigating newfound curiosity, including her sexual development.
However, a sex scene addressing issues of sex work and youth generated strong criticism. As reported by CNN, BBC Radio 4 presenter Samira Ahmed deemed it inappropriate, even for Hollywood. Stone quickly shared her response. “Much of this is about being true to Bella’s experience,” Stone said. “Sex is obviously a huge part of her experience and growth, much as I believe it is for most people in life.” But where many seemed to focus solely on her sex life, Stone urges viewers to consider Bella as a multidimensional being. “But I see it as just one aspect of many: her discovery of food or philosophy, travels, and dance. Sex is another aspect.”
“One of the things we talked about very early on and that I thought was extremely important was that Bella is completely free and unashamed about her body,” Stone said. “She doesn’t know shame about these things, doesn’t hide them, or shy away from fully immersing herself in the experience when it comes to anything.”
“So for the camera to pull away from that, or to say something like, ‘Well, we’ll cut all this because our society works in a particular way’… it felt like a lack of honesty about who Bella is,” Stone explained.
“I’m not someone who just wants to be naked all the time, but I am someone who wants to honor the character as much as possible,” Stone said. “That’s part of her journey, so who am I to say that should be shameful?” she concluded.
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