Keira Knightley reveals why lesbian sex toned down in new film
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 01: Keira Knightley attends the UK Premiere of Disney’s ‘The Nutcracker And The Four Realms’ at Vue Westfield on November 01, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)
Actor Keira Knightley has explained that lesbian sex scenes in her new film were toned down so that they weren’t “seen through the male gaze.”
Knightley the title character in her latest film Colette, a biographical drama detailing the life of French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, who has several lesbian affairs with other women while she was married to Henry Gauthier-Villars.
Knightley explained that she didn’t want the lesbian sex scenes to be “exploitative.” (Jeff Spicer/Getty)
“I didn’t want the lesbian sex scenes to be seen through the male gaze,’ Knightley told the Daily Mail in an interview.
“We were very conscious of keeping it titillating, but not in any way exploitative.”
“I always think what’s more important is what’s left to the imagination.”
— Keira Knightley
The 33-year-old actor explained that the film’s director Wash Westmoreland and other actors in the cast contributed to the discussion around watering down the lesbian sex scenes.
“I always think what’s more important is what’s left to the imagination,” Knightley said.
“That’s my personal preference; always. You can imagine a lot by being shown quite a little, you know.”
Knightley’s new film Colette details the French novelist’s lesbian affairs
Colette made its world premiere on January 20 at the Sundance Film Festival.
Knightley with comedian Simon Amstell and her husband James Righton. (Tim P. Whitby/Getty)
It was released in the US in September and had its UK premiere in London at the BFI London Film Festival in October.
The movie is set to be released in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2019.
Colette portrays the life of the French novelist of the same name and her first marriage to Gauthier-Villars (Dominic West), who publishes her novels under his own pen-name “Willy.”
The film also stars Denise Gough and Eleanor Tomlinson.
Throughout her life, the French novelist had relationships with men and women.
She caused outrage in January 1907 when she kissed another woman, Mathilde de Morny, on stage during a pantomime at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.
The couple’s kiss nearly caused a riot and the production was stopped by police.
Colette continued her relationship with Morny until 1912.
In September, Knightley said that the 2002 football classic film Bend It Like Beckham should have had a lesbian ending, adding that she wants there to be a sequel to make it happen.
Speaking to Pride Source, Knightley was told that a lot of LGBT+ people had wanted her character and Parminder Nagra’s protagonist to become a couple.
“F**k yeah! That would’ve been amazing,” she responded. “I think they should’ve been too.
“I think that would’ve been great. We need a sequel.”
