Charlie Murphy, the Irish comedian and actor, became a household name after his unforgettable performances on the Chappelle’s Show. However, not many know about his brief but intense stint in Hollywood, where he starred in the erotic thriller Obsession, alongside actors such as Brad Davis and Sharon Stone. In recent news, it has come to light that Murphy’s experience on the set was far from glamorous, as he revealed that he was “covered in bruises” after filming the movie’s intense sex scenes. In this article, we delve deeper into the behind-the-scenes turmoil of Obsession and shed light on the challenges faced by actors in intimate scenes.
Charlie Murphy, the actress best known for her role as Ann Gallagher in Happy Valley, has revealed that she was left ‘covered in bruises’ after filming the steamy sex scenes in the Netflix thriller Obsession. The actress also discussed working with an intimacy co-ordinator on the show, which she said left her feeling ’empowered’.
In the series, Charlie plays Anna, a woman who embarks on an affair with her fiancé Jay’s father William (Richard Armitage). Will gradually becomes obsessed with Anna over the course of the four-part show, with the pair partaking in a BDSM-fuelled relationship. There are a number of racy moments in Obsession, and Netflix has rated it an 18 on its website as a result.
Speaking about filming the sex scenes, Charlie told the Reign with Josh Smith podcast: ‘We were covered, covered in bruises. There was no give in that hardwood – it was not great… My bruises were on my knees, my toes, elbows, all the bony bits!’ However, she said that having an intimacy co-ordinator on the set was helpful: “They set up the atmosphere of consent and boundaries. And we do a touch map all over your body and we would work through, “okay, I’m happy being touched there. I’m happy being touched there, but not there.” And it can be the side of your arm, it can be anything. We’re all just humans coming to set, and we don’t know what someone’s been through or, you know, what makes them uncomfortable. And we work out all of that and then we find a map [of the body] that we are safe to use. And then we work through the physicality of each scene and we choreograph the actual sex itself… I did feel very empowered because we had done the homework, and I felt like, “oh, I’m doing something as it’s supposed to have been done.”‘
Charlie also admitted that she would have been nervous to film a show like Obsession before the Me-Too movement. She says she has learned much more about herself during quieter periods of her career rather than when she is working consistently.
Obsession is a four-part series and is available to watch on Netflix now.
In conclusion, Charlie Murphy’s experience filming the sex scenes for the movie Obsession reveals the physical toll that actors sometimes go through to bring their characters to life on the big screen. While the bruises and bumps may have been temporary, Murphy’s dedication to his craft is a reminder of the hard work and sacrifice required of those who pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Despite the challenges, we continue to look forward to more compelling performances from talented actors like Charlie Murphy, who leave a lasting impression on audiences everywhere.
