Aya Cash Had A Blast Filming Her Action-Packed Sex Scene For The Boys
Sex scenes can be awkward to shoot. It's a lot like mastering a dance: There's choreography to learn, and then the logistical challenge of marking and setting the scene pre-shoot. Then there's the filming process itself. Already, the actors are in a vulnerable position and cameras are there to capture every angle, getting close-up shots of faces, limbs, and whatever else feels necessary for the scene to induce that feeling of intimacy.
Depending on the specificity of what the director hopes to accomplish, actors may perform the same sequence repeatedly. The best example that comes to mind is the bloody sex scene in David Fincher's "Gone Girl." While shooting that jaw-dropping scene, Fincher meticulously filmed Rosamund Pike and Neil Patrick Harris doing the scene over and over right down to the throat slit until they had it down perfectly.
Repetition may be key, but it can be a lot when there are numerous moving parts to juggle. That said, the more wild or strange the sex scene, the more likely it'll be fun. That's where shows like "The Boys" excel. "The Boys" has never pulled punches when it comes to its sex scenes. The most memorable that comes to mind is the one with the Termite that reminds us why we shouldn't sneeze ... ever. These unorthodox, superpowered sex scenes in "The Boys" have led to some of the most fun moments for actors like Aya Cash, who is no stranger to cinematic sex scenes.
Add a little fight
During "The Boys" Season 2 Emmy press-tour, Cash was asked a bit about the superpowered sex-scene that she shot with Antony Starr. Portraying the Nazi superhero, Stormfront, Cash and Starr's Homelander go at it in an action-packed, gravity-defying scene that also involves laser eyes lighting up chesticles. There's ... a lot going on.
As Cash shared with CBR, she wanted to make light of the situation, but she couldn't since crew members were under instructions to not laugh. Not being able to make fun of the situation made shooting a tad awkward. But, as she shared with The Wrap, that didn't stop Cash from having loads of fun whilst shooting it because of how the scene was designed:
"The flying and fight choreography of that made this one of the most enjoyable sex scenes I've ever shot because they're always awkward and uncomfortable. And that made it so specific, in a way. It was a violent scene. We were in a harness. It was so much fun because it felt like doing a stunt scene rather than a sex scene. And I've talked about the merkin, I'm not going to go into the merkin anymore (laughs). But special effects did wonders with what I was wearing, as well."
With so much to focus on safety-wise and logistically, there was less of a pressure to worry about how sexy she was onscreen. In the end, all these various elements made shooting this balls-to-the-wall sex scene a blast for Cash.