(Credit: Gage Skidmore)
Sat 15 November 2025 20:45, UK
If you asked AI to find the archetypal male Hollywood superstar, it would probably show you a picture of Henry Cavill.
The British hunk is unfathomably handsome, with muscles in places most people don’t even realise they have. On top of that, he’s funny and charming too, with a cut-glass British accent that must turn American fans into puddles every time he speaks. Most big-time actors aren’t into Warhammer, though, but that’s a sin we’re willing to forgive.
Given his leading man status and criminally good looks, Cavill has found himself sharing romantic scenes with a number of major stars. Amy Adams was the Lois Lane to his Clark Kent in Man of Steel, while he was seduced by Dua Lipa in Matthew Vaughn’s comedy spy bust Argylle. He’s been linked with the role of James Bond a few times, so just imagine what he’ll get up to if he lands that job.
While most people would jump at the chance to get cosy with some of the most glamourous and attractive people on the planet, apparently it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Cavill revealed that he isn’t a fan of sex scenes in movies.
“I don’t understand them,” he said, bluntly (via Variety). “There are circumstances where a sex scene actually is beneficial to a movie, rather than just the audience, but I think sometimes they’re overused these days. It’s when you have a sense where you’re going, ‘Is this really necessary or is it just people with less clothing on?’ And that’s when you start to get more uncomfortable and you’re thinking, ‘There’s not a performance here.’”
Looking back at Cavill’s career, it’s clear that he’s mainly talking about this from the perspective of a viewer. You won’t find many movies in which he gets super steamy. He had quite a famous sex scene while starring in The Tudors – which he apparently had to apologise for after getting an erection – but that’s about it. Cavil tends to opt for more mainstream projects aimed at larger audiences, so the prospect of him getting down to business on camera is usually pretty slim.
Sex can be awkward at the best of times, so just imagine how tough it must be with a room full of people watching. These issues were seemingly solved by the widespread introduction of ‘intimacy coordinators’ on film sets, but that’s only created more issues. Florence Pugh recently discussed a bad experience with one on set, while prominent stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Mikey Madison have outright refused them for their scenes.
As film and TV continue to push boundaries and viewers become more desensitised, the discussion around sex scenes is only going to get more and more complicated. Instead of worrying about how to safeguard the actors involved, perhaps directors and screenwriters should take a leaf from Cavill’s book and think about if they’re even necessary.
Although, as the old saying goes, ‘sex sells’. Don’t expect any massive changes any time soon.
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