Renowned British actor, Mark Rylance, has opened up about his feelings of remorse regarding his involvement in the 2001 sensual movie titled Intimacy.
At 64 years old, Mark disclosed his misgivings about his participation in the provocative drama alongside Kerry Fox, which notably included a scene featuring unsimulated fellatio and full-frontal nudity.
Initially captivated by director Patrice Chereau’s artistic vision for the film, Mark’s sentiments have shifted in light of the significant backlash that the production garnered, leading him to reconsider his stance on the project.
In an exclusive interview with The Guardian newspaper, the esteemed Oscar winner candidly admitted, “‘Intimacy’ presented the most challenging role I’ve ever undertaken.
While I believed in its narrative significance concerning the complexities of establishing intimacy in the bustling metropolis of London, the experience of filming proved to be arduous.
Hanif Kureishi’s script delved into raw and intimate realms, yet the aftermath of the movie’s release, accompanied by personal attacks and public scrutiny, inflicted deep wounds.
Looking back, I wish I had opted out.”
Within the storyline of Intimacy, Mark portrayed a character working in a nightclub who abandons his family due to his wife’s waning affection.
Engaging in weekly encounters with a woman on a casual basis, he eventually uncovers her infidelity towards her unsuspecting spouse.
Initially, their interactions centered around physical gratification; however, as the narrative unfolds, emotional ties form from his end, only to be met with her resolute decision to uphold her familial commitments, thus ceasing further rendezvous.
The opportunity to star in the lead role of Intimacy materialized after Chereau witnessed Mark’s performance in ‘Cleopatra’ at the Globe theatre.
Despite the film’s recognition at prestigious events such as the Berlin International Film Festival, it failed to escape critical disapproval.
Reflecting on the project in a prior conversation, Mark shared his unease: “It was unsettling.
I contemplated how easily I could have inhabited that particular character.”
During a 2015 exchange with The Wall Street Journal, Mark divulged the strain that the explicit scenes placed on his marriage.
He confided, “It cast a shadow over my life for a couple of months.
It was my misstep, yet I felt Patrice [Chéreau] unduly pressured me on set to partake in those sequences.
At that juncture, I lacked the confidence as a screen actor to refuse.
