Alexander Skarsgård hopes Pillion avoids ‘stereotypes’ of dom/sub relationships
Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling in Pillion (A24)
Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling in Pillion (A24)
Pillion stars Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling have addressed the film’s eye-popping sex scenes, and shared their hope that the movie avoids the “stereotypes” of being in a dom/sub relationship.
Speaking to PinkNews on the red carpet ahead of Pillion screening at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, both Alexander Skarsgård – who stole the show in a sleeveless shirt and leather trousers – and Harry Melling explained their desire to make the film feel “authentic”.
Pillion stars Melling, best known for playing detestable brat Dudley Dursley in Harry Potter, as Colin, a meek gay traffic warden and barbershop quartet singer who lives at home with his parents.
On Christmas Eve, he is approached by mysterious, leather-clad biker Ray (Skarsgård), and given an offer he can’t refuse: leave his family on Christmas Day to join him round the back of Primark for a blowjob.
As Colin soon learns, it’s him who will be doing the blowing: Ray is very much the dom in his relationships. After weeks of no contact, Ray finally invites Colin back to his, and the pair enter a strict dom/sub arrangement, much to Colin’s confusion.
Dom/sub relationships usually involve a dominant and a submissive partner who engage in a consensual exchange of power in their relationship. As described by Grindr, these power dynamics can help to “heighten intimacy and sexual desire” though the can also be practised in situations outside of sex, “from social outings to the grocery store”.
Over time, Colin is introduced to Ray’s biker gang and fellow doms and subs, and begins to understand the world he has been roped into and the dynamics it entails. While Ray and Colin’s sex scenes are very explicit, they lack intimacy, with Ray refusing to kiss Colin and only treating him to the missionary position on his birthday.
Conversely, the rest of the group – including Scissor Sisters’ star Jake Shears as a ‘sub bottom boy’ – enjoy different levels of sexual and emotional intimacy.
In portraying the different levels of emotional and sexual openness in different dom/sub relationships, Skarsgård hopes the reality of the subculture is represented.
“After the big orgy scene, some of the couples are very affectionate with each other and very warm and loving, even if they have a sub/dom relationship. That doesn’t mean you can’t cuddle and kiss,” he told PinkNews.
“We wanted to avoid stereotypes and also try to make those scenes feel authentic. [Sex] can be clumsy, it can be awkward, it can be weird and it can be funny. It doesn’t have to be sexy all the time.
“We wanted those scenes with the whole gang to feel authentic but it was also important to distinguish the couples within this group because we’re not carbon copies of each other. For example, Colin and Ray don’t kiss. But that doesn’t mean it’s a rule within the group obviously.”
Melling, who gives Pillion its heart and soul with a stirring performance as Colin, added his hope that the film convinces people to learn more about the dom/sub subculture.
“What I think is so exciting about this movie is it tells a story that isn’t often told,” he said.
“I guess my message to everyone, not just the queer community, is if you want to see something and have a better understanding of a subculture that you maybe don’t know about, then hopefully this movie will offer you that. That would really be the value of this film.”
As for being involved in such kinky scenes – which were worlds away from his other acting experiences – Melling felt “very comfortable” getting stuck in.
“It was great. I remember speaking to a few friends of mine about this story, what was involved in it. They were like, ‘Oh wow, Harry. Wow!’
He continued: “What was so good about the sex scenes and why maybe I felt very comfortable doing them, was it always felt like we were moving the story along. Maybe that’s why people are saying it feels authentic in that way.”
Pillion, directed by Harry Lighton in his feature film debut, had Robbie Taylor Hunt on board as the film’s intimacy coordinator. Hunt is known for his similar work in major queer hits including Red, White & Royal Blue, Mr Loverman, Big Boys and Heartstopper.
“It wasn’t a stop in narrative,” Melling continued. “It was really propelling the relationship forward. They were brilliant to do, and from an acting perspective, wonderful.”
Pillion is in UK cinemas on 28 November.
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