You’ve probably seen the headlines or the Twitter clips. Whenever a new season of a hit show drops, the internet immediately starts buzzing about specific timestamps. It’s a bit of a pattern by now. With someone like Elle Fanning, the conversation usually shifts toward how she transitioned from the ethereal, fairy-tale child star in Maleficent to an actress who handles heavy, often raunchy, adult themes.
Specifically, the Elle Fanning sex scene searches spiked like crazy during the run of the Hulu series The Great. But here’s the thing: most people looking for those scenes end up surprised by what they actually find. It’s not just about the "raunch" factor. It’s about how she’s completely flipped the script on how intimacy is portrayed on screen.
The Reality of "The Great" Sex Scenes
Honestly, if you go into The Great expecting a typical, steamy Hollywood romance, you’re going to be confused. The show is "occasionally true," and its approach to sex is basically a chaotic comedy. Fanning plays Catherine the Great, and her intimate moments with Nicholas Hoult (who plays Peter III) are frequently absurd.
Think about it.
They are often fully clothed. Fanning has talked about this in interviews, explaining that the costumes—those massive, 18th-century corsets and petticoats—were so "inhumane" and complex that they couldn't just "strip down" for a quick romp. Instead, they’d just hike up the skirts. It’s a hilarious, practical reality of period dramas that most viewers never think about.
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There is one scene in particular where Peter is trying to produce an heir and insists on counting his thrusts out loud to 100. It is the opposite of sexy. It’s awkward. It’s mechanical. Fanning has mentioned that she and Hoult would often be "biting pillows" to stop themselves from laughing during wide shots. This wasn't about titillation; it was about character power dynamics.
Why the Tone Matters
When we talk about an Elle Fanning sex scene, we’re usually talking about a shift in power. In The Great, sex is a tool. Catherine uses it to gain leverage, to find comfort with her lover Leo (Sebastian de Souza), or to navigate the bizarre requirements of the Russian court.
- With Peter: It’s a chore. It’s "job sex," as Fanning once called it.
- With Leo: It’s actually intimate and passionate, showing a different side of her vulnerability.
- The Comedy: Most of these scenes are designed to make you laugh or feel uncomfortable, not to serve as "fan service."
Challenging the "Child Star" Image
It's kinda wild to look back at her career. She started at three years old. For a long time, she was the "little sister" or the "innocent girl." Then came The Neon Demon in 2016. That movie was a massive turning point. While it didn't feature traditional sex scenes in the way people might search for them, it dealt with heavy sexual themes, voyeurism, and the "male gaze" in the fashion industry.
Fanning was only 17 when she filmed that. It was controversial. It was gory. It pushed her into a space where she was no longer just a Disney princess.
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She’s been very vocal about using intimacy coordinators. While some old-school actors (like Kim Basinger or Michael Douglas) have recently questioned the need for these roles, Fanning has credited them with making the set of The Great feel safe. It’s a professional boundary. It turns a "sex scene" into a choreographed dance.
What Most People Miss
People search for these moments because they want to see a "grown-up" version of an actor they like. But the nuance is in the acting. Fanning has a specific ability to look completely in control while being physically vulnerable.
Take her role in The Girl from Plainville. It’s a dark, true-crime story. The intimacy there isn't about fun; it’s about a desperate, digital-age loneliness. Or look at her work in The Beguiled. The sexual tension there is thick enough to cut with a knife, but it’s all in the eyes and the unspoken words.
Quick Facts on Filming Intimacy:
- Safety First: Intimacy coordinators map out every touch. No surprises.
- Modesty Garments: Actors use "patches" or "nudity cakes" to ensure there is no actual skin-to-skin contact in sensitive areas.
- The "Closed Set": Usually, only the director, camera op, and sound person are in the room. It’s not a crowd.
- The Laughter: Almost every actor says these scenes are the funniest to film because they are so deeply awkward.
How to Approach the Conversation
If you’re interested in the evolution of Fanning's career, don’t just look for a timestamp. Look at the context. She’s producing her own work now (through her company, Lewellen Pictures). She has a say in how her body is portrayed and how these scenes are written.
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She isn't just an actress being "directed" into a sex scene; she’s a producer ensuring the scene serves the story. That’s a massive distinction.
Actionable Insights for Film Fans
If you want to understand the craft behind these "racy" moments, here is what you should do:
- Watch the Interviews: Look for Fanning’s 2020 and 2023 interviews with W Magazine or Refinery29. She goes into great detail about the "corset sex" and the hilarity of the Russian court.
- Check the Credits: Look for the name of the intimacy coordinator on her projects (like Ita O'Brien). It’s a great way to learn about the modern standard of set safety.
- Compare the Roles: Watch The Great and then watch 20th Century Women. You’ll see how she uses sexuality differently depending on whether she’s playing a 1970s teenager or an 18th-century Empress.
The "Elle Fanning sex scene" isn't a singular thing to be found; it's a series of deliberate, artistic choices by a woman who has spent her entire life under a microscope and finally has the power to control the lens.
Next Steps: You can dive deeper into how intimacy coordinators have changed Hollywood by researching the SAG-AFTRA guidelines established in 2020. Understanding these rules makes watching modern film and TV a much more "meta" experience.