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Oscar Winner Mahershala Ali Won't Do Sex Scenes in Movies - Here's Why

Oscar Winner Mahershala Ali Won't Do Sex Scenes in Movies - Here's Why

Mahershala Ali is opening up about his decision not to do sex scenes in films.

Speaking to Common on his podcast, the 46-year-old actor talked about his conscious decision on the 2008 film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which he was supposed to share a love scene with Taraji P. Henson.

Mahershala‘s reason is that it goes against his religion of Islam.

“So my old agent called me and said, ‘Mahershala, you got the part.’ And I said, ‘There’s just one thing…There is that one sex scene where they kiss…If there’s a sex scene, I can’t do it.’”

He added, “I don’t do simulated sex.”

Mahershala went on to star in the film, and he explained how David Fincher simulated the scene that respected his beliefs.

“Taraji and I begin to kiss, and we fall out of the frame…It wasn’t clear if [Fincher] was trying to have like some bumping and grinding … which I doubt he was. But for me even … at that time, 15 years ago, I was still like, ‘OK, I can only go up to this point,’ just because of — just trying to hold a space of respect for my religion.”

Many actors have opened up about how they approach sex scenes in films. See what one said here…

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Posted to: Mahershala Ali