The decision of getting nude for a movie or TV show is completely on the shoulders of the actor. It depends on who the actor is, what movie they will be getting nude for, and, of course, how much money they will get. Many actors have no-nudity clauses in their contracts, completely squashing the notion of them ever baring it all for the world to see. Other actors have been explicitly no-nudity until the time was right...
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis has never been fully nude on set, and she plans on keeping it that one. She shared a story of a Hollywood director, whom she kept anonymous, that wanted to have her pose semi-nude in a film promotion photoshoot. She declined and was immediately met with the threat of never working again in Hollywood.
She made the right choice and is still a hot commodity in Hollywood, but this situation drew attention to the fact that women in showbusiness are subjected to this type of behavior all of the time. Kunis has taken a bit of a break from the acting world as she raises her family with famous husband Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher, the heartthrob that he is, has also never gone in the nude.
Ashley Benson
Ashley Benson of Pretty Little Liars wants actors to only get nude if they are fully comfortable and fully aware of any consequences of doing so. That, and they want to make sure that they get paid very, very well. This realization came to fruition over her role in Spring Breakers, where extra's got topless and received no credit and small compensation.
“Everyone tries to push you, and it’s easy to get talked into doing those things,” she said. “I’ll just walk off set, but not everyone realizes they can do that.” Basically, she wants people to know that you can say no, or you can say yes and ask for more money!
Shannon Stewart
Shannon Stewart was on the first-ever season of the classic show America's Next Top Model. She revealed that she'd never pose nude or wearing underwear. Naturally, the show hopped on that and tried to exploit it, but she stuck to her word because she wanted her fans and people who looked up to her to trust her word.
“If I were to do that shoot, they would have replayed what I said on the first photoshoot. My brand is trustworthy; therefore, I would not be known as trustworthy because I'm not good for my word.” ANTM asked her back to be on the all-stars season, where they once again tested her word and tried to get her to shoot in her underwear. Stewart stuck to her guns and said no.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson grew up in front of the world during the Harry Potter franchise. She developed way better than most child actors. She even graduated from ivy league Brown University. “I’m not going to get my kit off or snort cocaine in a film just to leave Hermione behind. I don’t want everyone to forget me as Hermione. I’m really proud of her,” she said in an interview.
Watson has gotten some roles in her adulthood career but spends most of her time with women's rights activists. Other famous movies, outside of Harry Potter, are Beauty and the Beast, Little Women, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Lena Headey
Every Game of Thrones fan knows the infamous nude scene of Lena Headey's. Interestingly enough, that actually was not Headey playing Cersei at the time. She appeared as Cersei from the neck up and had a body double do the rest. She was one of the only GOT cast members to not have done a nude scene.
She called for a body double for the sake of her mental health. “Things really affect me. And the thought of being naked for three days and trying to contain her in the way she would be I think I would feel very angry. I didn’t want to be angry. I don’t think Cersei would be angry. I did what I thought she would do, emotionally.”
Sarah Jessica Parker
Starring in a show titled Sex and the City (especially on HBO) seems like you'd be getting yourself into some pretty raunchy stuff. Not for Sarah Jessica Parker! She was adamant with showrunners that she'd never star nude. But, the actress admits she’s struggled with the pressure to take her clothes off.
“They were like, ‘Sarah Jessica’s going to be nude tomorrow,’ and I was like, ‘I’m not going to be nude,’” she said. As disrespectful as it is, Parker kept her cool and continued filming. After all, this show was just as successful and famous without the main character getting naked, so would it have been worth it?
Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell has had her fair share of underwear scenes, but she will never get nude. The 39-year-old actress is proud of her "buns and abs" but isn't trying to show the world. “I don’t show my crack!” she said to Women’s Health Magazine. “All the Mr. Skins of the world are like, ‘Ooh, Kristen gets naked!’ I’m like, ‘Dream on!’”
Any close-up scenes with Bell were with a body double. Any scenes where she appeared nude were simply movie magic and some good wardrobe. She's not against sex scenes, just being nude!
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon is the girl-next-door, but that doesn't mean she'll show it off for just anyone! Her early career as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and Anette Hargrove in Cruel Intentions set the stage for the expectation of nude scenes, but she ended up taking heavier roles that didn't require it.
Although Witherspoon once said she was “flabbergasted by how many legitimate actresses” take off their clothes, she ended up breaking her no-nudity clause for the role of Cheryl Strayed in Wild (2014). In order for her to take her clothes off, all of the parts involved must be perfect and she has to fully trust everyone involved.
Blake Lively
Blake Lively has been in movies with nudity but has never gone nude herself, she finds it very distracting! “If I am watching a scene and someone has their boobs out, then that’s all I’m looking at—I can’t help it,” she said. Lively told the Daily Mail that she'd rather her audiences focus on her performance rather than her naked body. “I just don’t think that will ever be right for me.”
Lively is a bit of a sex symbol herself, despite never appearing fully nude. Her husband, Ryan Reynolds, has appeared somewhat nude in films, most notably in The Proposal with Sandra Bullock. He probably won't go full-frontal, ever.
Julia Roberts
Yes, Julia Roberts has never laid it out for the world to see. Roberts used a body double in Pretty Woman. “To act with my clothes on is a performance,” Roberts famously said in an interview with Marie Claire. “To act with my clothes off is a documentary.” All in all: it's just not for her!
In 2007, Roberts told E! News, "Listen, there's a reason why you don't see me naked in movies, you don't see me running around in bathing suits in movies: It's just not my thing." Plus, she's a mom to teenagers, so that's the last thing she wants to do where her kids might see it!
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift started her career as a teenager and grew up in front of the world. She's always had a sickly sweet demeanor which was popular for kids and teenagers. Even though she's in her 30s, she's still not tempted to go nude.
Fans were surprised to see Swift in the music video for Ready For It appearing totally nude. IN reality, she was wearing a flesh-toned bodysuit. Swift told Glamour that she’s never been tempted to “push the envelope” in the way that some of her popstar counterparts have.
Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba has had her fair share of steamy scenes, but she absolutely refuses to completely strip down. It's not that she thinks she's above nudity or sexuality... It's more about the fact that she doesn't want her grandparents to see her naked. “That’s it,” she said. “It would be weird at Christmas.
Alba has her opinions on nudity in films. She believes that nudity should only serve as an artistic purpose rather than bring a "shock value" to the production. Alba has maintained her position since 2005, when Elle Magazine asked her the same question. “If you look at the movies I have done, getting naked would never ‘elevate’ the picture,” she added.
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson broke into the acting scene in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. She definitely has a wild side, but that doesn't mean she will go fully nude for a movie. She even has a body double for her nude scenes, who is a South African burlesque dancer.
“I want to know that the people (i.e. the film crew) have a certain sensibility and decency. And a lot of times in comedy, they’re not those people,” Wilson told Marie Claire. Wilson is more interested in showing her fans her comedic skills, not her body.
Anna Kendrick
Even though you thought you saw Anna Kendrick nude in Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, you were wrong! Kendrick actually used a body double for that nude scene. She's expressed that she likes avoiding being a "teen movie actress" but that she's still able to keep her clothes on.
“I am not criticizing people who do [nude scenes], but I plan to keep doing what I am doing and hope it keeps going good,” she said. She's never worried about turning down roles due to their nude scenes; they rarely ever come in.
Megan Fox
Megan Fox has been open about her feelings on nude scenes. She's always said that they were damaging to her self-esteem and that she's turned down tons of roles that would have forced her into a "degrading scene." Fox has been pigeonholed as a sex symbol in the film industry, so she felt trapped.
“There are some good projects I’ve read… but the things women are required to do in the movie are things I can’t have my sons ever know or see,” said the actress. “Those are things that are degrading to the woman who’s playing the character.”
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais found his big break as David Brent on the UK version of The Office. Since then, he has hosted the Golden Globes three times and starred in multiple feature films. He's an actor and a comedian who is best known for roasting other celebrities.
“I don’t want to see this body—nobody does!” he told The Sun. Gervais has said that he will only strip down to his boxers, no more! For a guy who’s known for testing the boundaries of political correctness, it looks like Gervais is well aware of his own personal limits.
Rihanna
Rihanna once donned a transparent gown made entirely of Swarovski crystals, which made a lot of folks mad, but that's about as nude as she'll go. “My mother raised me with certain standards,” Rihanna told MTV. Even though the dress was transparent, she was still technically clothed.
Her music videos can be a little "not safe for work," but she's made a promise to herself to protect her personal values. Luckily for her, many people respected her boundaries. She's since stepped out of the limelight and focuses on her clothing and makeup business.
Allison Williams
Allison Williams is the daughter of famous MSNBC chief anchor Brian Williams. In order to "protect" her family name, she's stayed far away from any nude performances. “Growing up with a parent in the public eye… I didn’t want to give my future hypothetical children another avenue by which to be made fun of,” she said.
It's slightly ironic that she starred in the HBO show Girls, as it had a highly sexuality-based storyline. “I just wanted to give Marnie almost all of myself,” she added,” but there were things that felt like they should be mine and felt like they should always be mine.”
Samuel L. Jackson
No one would ever put Samuel L. Jackson and nudity in the same sentence... you would think. Some people have asked whether the iconic actor would ever go full frontal. He's said in interviews that he would never even consider it, and would request for a body double if it ever came up.
More Aura, More Problems
Jackson's built up such a reputation for himself that he wouldn't even need a nude scene to put his name out there. He's admitted that he probably wouldn't live up to people's expecations anyway, so he'd rather just take a back seat.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry has been evolving herself ever since she started her career as Katherine Hudson. She's never been totally nude, and never will be, but loves to play with the idea. She's said that she likes to play that card because “it’s fun and it’s definitely in my deck.”
"I’m 26 and I know these are my prime years and I’m confident,” Perry once said, but she added that she certainly won’t be doing “a Playboy spread” anytime soon. She loves the idea of burlesque and has a heavy appreciation of the art in her music, but will never go fully topless or nude for a music video or photoshoot.
Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer isn't opposed to showing some skin, but she will never go fully nude. The Office star had a racy bustier moment in Blades of Glory and a lingerie moment in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, but she drew the line at full nudity. Her reasoning? “Well, I wouldn’t do anything I wouldn’t be proud to show my parents.”
Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff has been in the spotlight since she was a kid. “In the States, it seems it’s the trend to turn 18 or 19 and then take your shirt off and do something crazy," she said when she was well into her adult years. Duff never had the crazy Disney rebellion phase. She spends most of her time off-screen nowadays.
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson was a sex symbol herself back in the day. She actor/designer/singer always said that she could never be persuaded to take it off for the world to see. “I don’t care how dark and intellectual the role could be. I don’t care if I frickin’ get an Oscar. I’m not going to do it,” she said.
Mandy Moore
News flash: the nude scene in Chasing Liberty was not actually of Mandy Moore. It was her body double! She chose to go with a double because she was too much of a "modest girl" to do it herself. I actually had to choose a body double that would be stripping down and jumping into a river in Prague for me!”
Isla Fisher
Isla Fisher never wanted to do nude scenes, and she stuck with it. She was afraid of getting stuck with roles that made her get nude, so she put a pin in that trope at the beginning of her character. The Australian actress said that she feels like nudity might redirect the audience’s attention. “I feel like if you have a female comic character and then you see her nipples, then she is no longer funny."
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner is such a pure soul, there's no way she could do a nude scene. Frankly, she's not interested in doing one, either. “I will not be taking it all off. The world deserves better. Not interested," she told MTV in an interview when she was asked whether or not a nude scene was on the table.
Rachel Bilson
Rachel Bilson secured the role of Kim in The Last Kiss. Production was moving along smoothly until the showrunners decided to drop a nude scene "opportunity" for her at the last second. The dispute got so nasty that she ended up giving up that role. The actress told Playboy, “Movies can be sexy or sexual without showing things.”
Christina Hendricks
Mad Men was all over the place with nudity and sexuality. Christina Hendricks never got nude for the show, but that didn't stop publications from talking about her and their own desire to see her nude. She complained to New York Magazine, “It kind of hurt my feelings. Anytime someone talks about your figure constantly, you get nervous, you get really self-conscious.”
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss has said that nudity just isn't for her. She feels like it would embarrass her husband or family, and that she's just not that type of actor. “Besides," she said, "lots of actresses like Julia Roberts and Michelle Pfeiffer don’t do nudity, so I don’t think it’s so important.”
Hailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber is a Victoria's Secret model who has stunned fans across the world. Even though she runs around in bikini's and lingerie all day for work, that doesn't mean she's comfortable shooting nude or even partially nude. “I would never pose topless. I wouldn’t ever pose naked,” she told People Magazine.
Coco Rocha
When Coco Rocha was just 15, she was told that she would never make it in the industry unless she chose to shoot nude. Luckily, she had a lot of good people in her life that kept her away from that seediness. “I decided to put certain clauses into my contract. Perhaps I heard ‘no’ more often because of it, but there are always clients who are willing to work with a confident woman who knows who she is.”
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm is one of those actors who just doesn't seem like he'd be in nude roles. He's never been fully nude on set! The closest he's been to nude on set is in Bridesmaids, but even that wasn't too bad.
Joan Collins
John Collins was a popular name in film and on stage. She was a legendary actress who eventually built herself up to be able to turn down roles. She ended up rejecting a role on the West End play circuit because the playwright asked her to be completely nude on stage. “It is unseemly to undress on stage,” Collins said.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar actually has a no-nudity clause in her contract. She's never talked publicly about the ordeal, but she has turned down roles that would have required her to be topless. Her representative told Page Six tabloid that “Sarah doesn’t do nudity, period. It has never been her thing.”
Emma Roberts
“I don’t know that I’d do a full-on nude scene, ever,” Emma Roberts told W Magazine. “But we’ll see.” In her young career, she hasn't performed in a fully nude scene, but that doesn't mean she's totally against it. She may change her tune in the future, but for right now, she'd rather keep her clothes on.
Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt has said that he has no intention of becoming a sex symbol, despite his overnight glow-up. According to the National Enquirer, posing nude on screen would be antithetical to his religion: “It’s not the public image he wants to project. It’s not something he sees as compatible with his faith.“
Rita Wilson
Rita Wilson made a guest appearance on the HBO series Girls and made sure that she outlined the no-nudity clause in her contract. “I wanted it put in my contract… [They] don’t want to see me nude,” she said. “That’s all I have to say. I’m like, ‘Don’t write in any nudity, please!’”
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson has had a no-nudity clause in her contract since she was 22. In 2014, she decided to perform nude in Under the Skin. She felt like it was necessary for her character, rather than exploitative like other roles she was offered. She will most likely keep her clothes on for other roles.
Cameron Diaz
Even though her character in There's Something About Mary had a pretty explicit scene that didn't contain nudity, Diaz never intended to go any further than that. She's said that she's really uncomfortable with performing on screen. The first time she was nude in a film was in 2014 for the movie Sex Tape.
Olivia Munn
Olivia Munn appeared topless in Magic Mike, but she said that she wouldn't do it for just anyone. “There are very few directors I would ever do it for,” she explained to Vulture. For her, it made sense for the character to be topless at that moment. As long as it's tasteful!
Mark Wahlberg
Fun fact: Mark Wahlberg actually wore a prosthetic penis in the movie Boogie Nights. The only time he truly bared it all was in Broken City. He told the director that if the sex scene was cut, he would strip down nude. He'd rather get naked for the world to see than to have to kiss someone other than his wife!
Paris Hilton
The only time Paris Hilton was nude in the public eye wasn't actually for the public to witness. Her infamous sex tape leaked and created a lot of tension and anxiety within herself. “That is actually the one regret in my life. I wish that I had never met that guy. I could not leave my house for months.”
George Clooney
As one of the sexiest men alive, George Clooney has never done a nude scene. He's had many intimate movie scenes but never any that required him to go fully naked. Although the actor has never gone on record stating that he has a no-nudity clause, it seems rather apparent that Clooney would rather act with his clothes on.
Jamie Dornan
Jamie Dornan's butt has been on-screen tons of times, but the 50 Shades of Grey actor drew the line at full-frontal nudity. “I just thought, ‘We don’t need to be flashing the rest if it’s not essential to the story,” he said. Dornan added, “We’re not making porn, as much as people think we are.”
Jessica Brown Findlay
Downton Abbey was actually Jessica Brown Findlay's first-ever role. She allowed herself to be filmed nude but completely regretted it. She said that the situation was manipulative. “To be honest, Albatross was naivety and not knowing that I could say no,” she said. Findlay thought she was going to be shot from behind—she “had no idea what was going to happen.”
Owen Wilson
Own Wilson is not nude in You, Me, and Dupree. He used a body double, like many others. He's said that he's not comfortable with taking his clothes off. “It’s hard to get totally comfortable with running out in front of a crew and neighbors that have come out on their streets to watch a Hollywood movie and here I come running out with pillows covering me.”
Neal McDonough
Neal McDonough refused to participate in any of the sex scenes in Scoundrels, so he was cut from the show. He said that he “put God and his family first, and me second.” McDonough said that he’s so dedicated to his wife Ruvé Robertson that he refuses to any love scenes with other actresses.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt had an offer from Playboy but decided to turn it down. She's usually fine with her appearance and has a lot of self-love, but her body image can be a struggle. “... There are days when I’m like, ‘Ugh! Really? Why is it so hard to fit into my jeans?’”
Rachael Leigh Cook
Rachel Leigh Cook has put her foot down when it comes to nudity. “I’m very shy,” the She’s All That actress said. “I won’t do nudity, and no body-doubling to make it look like it’s me.” She's uncomfortable with it all and would rather just not participate!
Will Smith
Will Smith famously refused to film a gay scene in Six Degrees of Separation. The scene was vital to the plot, so it wasn't a stretch that the scene was bound to happen. Even though that was earlier in his career (and he apologized for the homophobia of his reasoning) he still kept his scenes PG and kept his clothes on.