Emma Stone has opened up about a controversial scene in her new movie, Poor Things, and has defended it after backlash.
The film, which earned Stone the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy at the recent Golden Globes, has sparked controversy for its graphic content, including masturbation visuals.
The comedy fantasy film features Stone as Bella Baxter, a Victorian-era London woman brought back to life by a scientist who swaps her brain with that of a baby. The storyline takes a turn when Bella engages in sexually liberated encounters with a dissolute lawyer.
After viewing it, fans took to social media to express their thoughts and it appears as if the controversial nature of the movie left fans divided.
Check out the Poor Things trailer below:One person said: "(Poor things) it’s been several days but this is still bothering me. Did anyone else find it weird how long the sex scene in front of the two little boys went on? If the purpose of that was to show that her job was undesirable, there were other (or shorter) ways to do that."
A second added: "Poor Things is one of the creepiest films ever. Emma Stone is Frankenstein, so just born/made. She is a child in a woman's body who has sex. The film fetishes that innocence."
A third said: "(Poor things) loved the movie but can someone explain why its ok for her to have sex when she’s said to have the brain + consciousness of a toddler/young child? Not even the maturity, a literal babies brain was implanted in her mind and it couldn’t have been more than a few years."
In a recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row, Stone defended the explicit sex scenes in the film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
During the interview, host Samira Ahmed described the scenes as "quite graphic" and "unusual" for today's Hollywood. Stone responded by acknowledging the film's bold choices and the importance of embracing all aspects of Bella's character.
"[Sex] is obviously a huge part of her experience and her growth, as it is, I think, for most people in life. But I see it as just one aspect of many: her discovery of food, philosophy, travel, and dance. Sex is another aspect," she explained.
She emphasized that Bella's character is portrayed as completely free and without shame about her body, challenging societal norms. Stone expressed the belief that omitting controversial scenes from the film would have been a disservice to the character's authenticity.
"So for the camera to sort of shy away from that, or to say, 'OK, well, we’ll just cut all of this out because our society functions in a particular way'…felt like a lack of being honest about who Bella is," Stone continued.
She defended her commitment to honoring the character's journey, stating: "I'm not a person that just wants to be naked all the time, but I am someone who wants to honor the character as fully as I possibly can. That’s part of her journey, so who am I to say that should be shameful?"
Poor Things is out in theaters now.
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