Rob Lowe believes that movies today have become “unsexy.” The 60-year-old actor shared his thoughts on the decreasing presence of sex scenes in films during an episode of his Literally! podcast, which aired Thursday, Feb. 27. Lowe discussed the subject with actress Kristin Davis, also 60, as the two reflected on how movie scenes that once seemed essential have all but disappeared from modern cinema.
The conversation was prompted by Lowe reminiscing about his 1988 film Masquerade, in which he starred alongside Kim Cattrall. Lowe recalled that the film, which he described as being “pretty gratuitous,” was considered by Hollywood at the time to be “too sexy.”
“Kim Cattrall and I did a movie called Masquerade together, which I love that movie,” Lowe said. “It got good reviews, but the studio kind of dumped it because they thought it was too sexy. It was pretty gratuitous, but it was great.”
Davis, known for her role as Charlotte York on Sex and the City, agreed with Lowe’s sentiments, adding, “It was sexy! I wish we had sexy movies now!” Her comments highlighted a sentiment shared by many fans of classic films that featured sensual or provocative scenes.
However, Lowe quickly noted that sex scenes have become rare in today’s films, a stark contrast to the past when such scenes were often integral to a movie’s storytelling. “Nobody has sex scenes in movies anymore,” he said.
Davis attempted to correct Lowe, pointing to Babygirl, a recent erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman, as an example of a modern film featuring explicit content. The 2023 film, directed by Halina Reijn, explores the affair between a married CEO (played by Kidman) and her younger intern, and has generated attention for its steamy sequences.
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Though Davis admitted she hadn’t seen Babygirl herself, she acknowledged that sex scenes in contemporary films have become “an unusual thing now.” Lowe, on the other hand, praised the film, calling it “pretty hot,” and agreed that it was a notable exception in today’s cinematic landscape.
However, Lowe pushed back on the notion that actors today should be considered “brave” for taking on sex scenes, especially when compared to the past. “They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s so brave. She’s so brave,’” Lowe remarked, referencing the praise often heaped on actors like Kidman for engaging in intimate scenes. “She’s brave because she has a sex scene. That’s brave now. And, in our day, it was required.”
Lowe went on to explain how commonplace sex scenes were in scripts during his career, using the “page 73 rule” as an example. “You get a script and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, how gratuitous. Do I have to be naked in this? Let me check,'” he recalled. “You didn’t have to read the whole script. You just went to page 73 because that mid-second act, what do you do in the second act, which is notoriously the toughest sledding in storytelling? I know. They Blue Lagoon it. Beach under a moonlit night.”
Lowe contrasted this with the modern perspective on intimacy in film, where scenes involving sex are often hailed as courageous acts by actors, a far cry from when they were seen as an essential part of storytelling in mainstream movies.
Kidman, during a Q&A session for Babygirl in Los Angeles last year, discussed the emotional and artistic challenges of filming such an intimate movie. She revealed that the erotic thriller required “an enormous amount of trust,” particularly in exploring themes of kink and the complex dynamics between her and her co-star, Harris Dickinson. “I’ve always been on a quest as an actor, I’m always going, ‘Where have I not been? And what can I explore as a human being?'” Kidman explained. “This was an area I’d never been.”
Kidman further expressed the vulnerability required for such a role, describing it as a “jump off the cliff thing,” where actors must abandon all inhibitions in order to dive into new territory. She also noted the importance of the female perspective in such films, saying, “Hopefully we can explore new territory and especially with the female at the helm.”
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While Lowe may not agree with the modern notion of “bravery” in performing sex scenes, he acknowledges that Babygirl stands as a rare example of a film that breaks from the norm in terms of intimacy on screen. Still, his broader point remains clear: sex scenes, once considered an essential part of mainstream films, have all but disappeared from modern cinema, replaced with more cautious portrayals of intimacy.
As the conversation on his podcast continued, Lowe reflected on the cultural shift in how intimacy is presented in films. “It used to be a requirement,” he mused. “Now, it’s seen as something that’s groundbreaking. But honestly, it’s just part of the storytelling.” Whether or not future films will embrace a return to more sensual, bold depictions remains to be seen. But for now, Lowe’s reflections reveal a significant shift in how intimacy is portrayed in Hollywood — one that moves away from the unreserved sensuality of the past.
