Jenny Agutter has a way of staying in the public eye that most actors would kill for. One minute she’s the dignified Sister Julienne in Call the Midwife, and the next, the internet is buzzing about her filmography from fifty years ago. It’s a strange juxtaposition. Honestly, it’s mostly because of how she handled being jenny agutter in the nude during a transformational era of cinema.
She wasn't just another starlet. She was the "girl next door" who suddenly grew up on screen. For many who came of age in the 1970s, Agutter represented a specific kind of transition from childhood innocence to adult complexity.
The Walkabout controversy and the "Garden of Eden"
Let’s talk about Walkabout. This 1971 film is basically where it all started. Director Nicolas Roeg had a very specific, almost primal vision for this story about two siblings stranded in the Australian outback. Jenny was only 16 when they filmed it.
That fact alone makes modern audiences a bit jumpy.
The five-minute skinny-dipping scene in the outback waterhole is arguably one of the most famous sequences in British film history. Roeg framed it as a "Garden of Eden" moment—pure, natural, and devoid of shame. But for a teenage girl, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Agutter has since admitted she felt "very uncomfortable" and "absolutely terrified" during the shoot. She’s recalled leaping out of the water and getting dressed as fast as possible.
The weirdest part? Once she was done, the entire crew stripped off and jumped in because it was a sweltering day in the bush.
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It’s easy to look back and call it exploitative. Some do. But Agutter herself has maintained a nuanced view. She’s remained on good terms with the Roeg family and often speaks of the film as a piece of art rather than a tawdry career move. Still, the scene was so provocative for the time that it was heavily censored in various international releases.
Why Logan’s Run and Equus changed the game
By the mid-70s, Agutter had moved to Hollywood. She wasn't the "Railway Child" anymore.
In Logan’s Run (1976), the nudity was less about nature and more about a futuristic, hedonistic utopia. Her character, Jessica 6, wore a green "tunic" that was essentially held together by a prayer and a thin chain. It’s became the stuff of sci-fi legend. Agutter has joked that there was a "no bra policy" in the future, which probably saved the production a lot of money on wardrobe but definitely added to her "fantasy fodder" status.
Then came Equus in 1977.
This wasn't some popcorn flick; it was a heavy-duty psychological drama. Playing Jill Mason, she had a full-frontal nude scene with Peter Firth. It was intense. It was raw. It also won her a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. This is where the distinction lies: the industry saw her as a serious talent who happened to be comfortable with her body, not just a body for hire.
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The American Werewolf shower scene
You can't discuss her career without mentioning that shower scene in An American Werewolf in London. It’s a masterclass in "less is more." Compared to her earlier work, there’s actually very little visible nudity, yet it’s consistently cited as one of the most sensual scenes in horror history.
Director John Landis understood something vital. The chemistry between Agutter’s Nurse Alex Price and David Naughton was the real hook. It felt like a real relationship, which made the inevitable tragedy of the werewolf transformation hit way harder.
What she thinks about it now
Agutter is 73 now. She’s lived several lifetimes in the industry.
When she talks about her past nude scenes today, her "heart sinks" a little—not because she regrets them, but because of how the internet has treated them. She’s pointed out that these moments were meant to be seen in the context of a story. Now? They’re often reduced to low-res screengrabs on sketchy forums.
"The exploitation of it is the issue," she once told The Independent.
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Interestingly, she hasn't ruled out doing it again if the role called for it. She’s been a vocal critic of how the industry treats aging women, arguing that sexuality doesn't just evaporate once you hit 50 or 60. She’s even referenced the elderly nude woman in The Shining as a reminder that the human body, in all its stages, belongs in cinema.
Navigating the legacy
So, what do we actually take away from the history of jenny agutter in the nude?
First, context is everything. Her scenes in Walkabout or Equus weren't just "there." They served the narrative of isolation or psychological breakdown. Second, she survived the "pin-up" phase without letting it define her. Most actors who become sex symbols in their teens don't end up playing beloved nuns on a hit BBC show for over a decade.
If you’re looking to understand her impact, don't just look at the stills.
Watch the films. See how she uses her physicality to tell a story about vulnerability or defiance. That’s the real skill.
Next Steps for Film Fans:
- Watch the Criterion Collection release of Walkabout to see the cinematography in its intended, unedited glory.
- Compare her performance in Equus to the original stage play notes to see how she translated a difficult theatrical role to the screen.
- Read her interviews on aging in Hollywood—she offers a much-needed perspective on why we should stop being "shocked" by the female form over a certain age.