In the hit series “You,” intimate moments are an integral part of the plot. However, in the fourth season, this changes due to the request of one of its lead actors, Penn Badgley.
In his podcast Podcrushed, Penn (36) revealed that he asked the show’s creators to reduce the number of sex scenes, out of respect for his marriage to Domina Kirke (39).
“Being faithful in my relationship is extremely important to me,” said Penn, who portrays Joe Goldberg in the series. He noted that the third season contained significantly more sex scenes compared to previous seasons, and filming these scenes with his co-star Victoria, who plays Love, was not easy. The challenges were compounded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which added additional difficulties to the production process.
Victoria, who plays Love in the series “You,” described the experience of filming intimate scenes with Penn as being “very strange.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the set had to implement necessary changes, which added to the discomfort of these scenes. “That was all very palpable,” said Penn, who plays Joe Goldberg, in agreement.
After the release of the first five episodes of the fourth season on Netflix, Penn approached the producers and requested a reduction in the number of intimate moments in future seasons.
According to Penn Badgley, he had already intended to cut back on his participation in intimate scenes prior to joining the cast of “You.” “I wondered if I wanted to return to a career path that constantly involved playing romantic roles in film and television,” he said. His marriage to Domina Kirke also played a crucial role in this decision, as Penn values the sanctity of his relationship and did not want to engage in those kinds of scenes any longer.
Thankfully for Penn, the show’s creator, Sera Gamble, was understanding and accommodated his request. “She appreciated my honesty and responded positively, reducing the number of sex scenes significantly,” said Penn.