Every actor aims to stay true to their character, but Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh take it a step further.
In a Friday interview with Josh Horowitz at 92NY, the star of “We Live in Time” discussed shooting an “extremely intimate, passionate sex scene” with Pugh.
In the film, directed by John Crowley, Garfield and Pugh portray unlikely lovers, Tobias and Almut, whose romance unfolds over a decade after a chance meeting.
Garfield shared that during the first take of their sex scene, he felt it took on a life of its own, describing Pugh as “confident in her body and her sexuality.”
“The scene became intense, as we had choreographed it,” Garfield recounted to Horowitz, referencing footage shared online. “We got into the moment and ended up exceeding our planned limits simply because we didn’t hear ‘cut,’ and both felt safe.”
Though both actors felt comfortable continuing, Garfield noted later they found it strange that their director of photography, Stuart Bentley, seemed to have little involvement.
“At a certain point, I sensed we were both thinking telepathically that this felt like a much longer take,” he remarked.
The acclaimed actor then glanced around and saw Bentley and the boom operator turned away from the intimate scene. “Stuart had the camera by his side and was facing the wall,” Garfield observed.
How Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh connected through their ‘incredibly intimate’ scenes
Garfield and Pugh discussed the vulnerability inherent in their characters’ scenes during an interview with Esquire released on Wednesday.
“We had to engage in the most intimate acts that humans can experience,” Garfield explained, mentioning some of the challenging scenarios Pugh had to perform. “The sex scenes needed to be profoundly intimate.”
Pugh noted that the process fostered a special connection between them.
“We genuinely felt supported by one another, and I believed my abilities were valued and reciprocated by his,” Pugh shared, expressing interest in future collaborations with Garfield. “After wrapping up, we recognized the remarkable partnership we’d formed and the potential to do it again in the future.”
“We Live in Time” is scheduled for release in theaters on October 11.
