OUTLANDER is known for its steamy sex scenes and nudity – but what is it really like to shoot these moments in the Starz series?
Starz drama series Outlander never holds back in its depiction of sex and nudity. The show is adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander book series which features some raunchy moments guaranteed to set pulses racing. But what is it actually like shooting sex scenes in Outlander?
What’s it really like to shoot the sex scenes in Outlander?
Outlander has featured lots of sex right from season one. There were moments between heroine Claire Fraser (played by Caitriona Balfe) and her first husband Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies) and later between the 20th time-traveller and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan).
Indeed, during Claire’s narration in season one, she revealed how sex was “a bridge” which brought her back together with Frank during their second honeymoon in Inverness after World War II.
The sex is a big part of the show, not only demonstrating Claire’s strong female sexuality but also an important facet of her marriage to Jamie.
Diana Gabaldon previously told Express.co.uk in 2016 sex was important in the story and brought the lovers back together each time they were separated.
Outlander: The sex scenes are choreographed before filming
Outlander has seen many sex scenes between the central protagonists
She said: “They were never intending to marry each other. She wasn’t intending to marry him. He married her mainly because he wanted to sleep with her, to protect her also.
“But the sexual attraction between them is very strong and is the glue that holds them through some very difficult times.”
She added: “It’s not just a courtship story or a romance story, it is a long-term marriage.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly back in 2017, actress Caitriona Balfe explained how sex scenes worked on a practical level on set.
Outlander is known for its sex scenes between Jamie and Claire Fraser
Outlander: Jamie and Claire Fraser are held together by their strong bond
She said: “There’s usually a lot of people in the room. I mean, sex scenes when you film them are never ever what people think they are.
“Unless you’re into that and you like to have an audience. I’m not saying that some people aren’t but there we go.”
The Irish actress said it was easier to film a fight scene than a sex scene.
She said: “I walk away from those scenes injured a lot.”
While Sam Heughan has also reflected on shooting the sex scenes, telling People in 2018: “We work on them very closely with the director and the writer and then Caitriona and I get it on.”
For instance, the famous wedding sex scene in season one where Jamie and Claire became physically intimate for the first time was planned out in meticulous detail before the cameras rolled.
Outlander showrunner Matthew B. Roberts told Marie Claire in 2017: “We tried to make it like any other scene because you don’t want to make the actors feel different than they would otherwise.
“But as the production, we were careful with how we prepped the scene—we gave it much more attention without a doubt.
“They were choreographed, we got rehearsal, the lighting in the room was tested, there were tests on what the costumes would look like.
“We don’t always do that for every scene, there’s not enough time.
“What we normally do for intimate scenes like this is rehearse first, prior to the day.
“You want the actors to be comfortable with the moves they’re making—you have to let them be free to open up in front of the crew.”
Generally, film and television productions have an intimacy coordinator who will help them to choreograph the scenes ahead of time.
Much like a fight sequence, the moves of the sex scene will be decided before filming takes place.
