Why 'Bridgerton' Star Ruth Gemmell Cried Over Sex Scene

by Leyla MohammedBuzzFeedBuzzFeed StaffAs a Celebrity Reporter, I cover everything from fashion and award shows to TV, film, and cultural conversations.

Bridgerton spoilers ahead.

If you watch Bridgerton, you’ll know that there are LOTS of intimate scenes.

Netflix / Shondaland

From Phoebe Dynevor to Nicola Coughlan, many of the Netflix show’s stars have talked openly about how comfortable they felt shooting risqué sequences.

Netflix / Shondaland

In fact, Season 1 lead Regé-Jean Page previously opened up about how he and Phoebe were “immensely well prepared” for their scenes, telling E! News in 2020, “We had dance lessons, writing lessons — essentially, a lot of time in each other's arms before we even hit the set.”

Netflix / Shondaland

Showrunner Chris Van Dusen added, “We had many, many conversations about exactly what we were doing. It was all so that the cast would feel comfortable, and we all really left it in their hands to take the scenes as far as they wanted to take them.”

But unfortunately, one actor who had a harder time filming an intimate scene is Ruth Gemmell, who plays matriarch Violet Bridgerton.

Liam Daniel /©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

During a recent interview with Ciné-Télé-Revue, Ruth, who is 58, recalled feeling “shocked” when she discovered that she was set to film a sex scene with Daniel Francis (who plays Lord Marcus Anderson) during a costume fitting for said scene.

Liam Daniel / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

“I think I was a little bit shocked,” she told the outlet. “I was in a costume fitting, and I realized that I was being fitted for something that I had no idea was going to happen… I went home and cried.”

Netflix / Shondaland

Ruth went on to note that she felt better after seeing how the Season 4 scene ended up looking on screen, noting that they used “a lot of low lighting.”

Netflix / Shondaland

“Thankfully, we tackled this one in a slightly different way to the kids of the show, because I don't think anyone would want to watch that really,” she said.

Netflix / Shondaland

And Ruth also noted that she felt it was “important” to show her character, Violet, being intimate with someone following the death of her husband, Edmund, years prior. “We don't die after a certain age. So, it's quite nice to kind of represent that… It's very lovely to see young love and love for the first time, but it's also very important and lovely to see somebody who has loved and lost and grieved and comes with a myriad of baggage, because everyone can identify with that, and I think that's important to show,” she said.

Liam Daniel / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Reacting to Ruth’s candid comments, many Bridgerton fans expressed just how much they loved and appreciated her intimate scene. “I hope she now knows how many women loved that scene. It was beautifully done and she represents to other women that even when you get older and or have children that you are still a beautiful women who is desirable,” one Instagram user said.

Ciné-Télé-Revue / Via instagram.com

“’I don't think anyone would want to watch that.’ Me. I'm sorry, ma'am, but you couldn't be more wrong,” someone else wrote.

“knowing she cried like actually breaks my heart.... like what? we love her. she is just breathtaking,” one user said, while another echoed, “So very sad on her take, she looked stunning and there are probably lots of other people like me that would for once want to watch some sexy scenes with someone our age or close to!”

Ciné-Télé-Revue / Via instagram.com

BuzzFeed has reached out to Netflix and Bridgerton's production company, Shondaland, for comment. You can watch Ruth’s interview with Ciné-Télé-Revue here, and, as always, let us know what you think down below.

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