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    1. Culture

    Sarah Jessica Parker has opened up about the pressure to film nude scenes

    'There was so much pressure for me to take my clothes off'

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 16 February 2018 In News

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    Sarah Jessica Parker in Divorce
    Sarah Jessica Parker in Divorce
    (Image credit: HBO)
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    'There was so much pressure for me to take my clothes off'

    The past few months have seen a wave of high profile names calling out the mistreatment of women in the entertainment industry, from reports of sexual abuse and harassment to actresses opening up about pressure to film naked scenes.

    Highly acclaimed actresses have been opening up about their own experiences of being asked to film nude, from Salma Hayek and Blake Lively to Elisabeth Moss, who recently explained that she ensures she has the final say as to which shots get used.

    The latest A-list actress to speak out about on-screen nudity is Sarah Jessica Parker who famously refuses to strip down for the cameras, even enacting a no nudity clause in her sex seasons of Sex and the City.

    ‘They were like, “Sarah Jessica’s going to be nude tomorrow”', she recalled of one experience. 'And I was like “I’m not going to be nude". It’s not a value thing, or like I’m judging anyone else,’ she explained of her preference not to be filmed nude. ‘I think it’s great when women feel comfortable doing it, and that’s their choice.’

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    'I don’t know if I had confidence or if I was being counselled by people,' SJP explained in an interview with People. 'There was so much pressure for me to take my clothes off.'

    ‘My agent sent a car and a plane ticket [to the film set] and he said, “If anybody makes you do anything that you’re not comfortable doing, you don’t,”’she explained. ‘Given what’s happening now and the stories told from that particular period, I know how lucky I am that there was someone — in this case, a man — who stepped in.’

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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