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Penn Badgley had to refilm Joe's masturbation scenes in You because they were "too creepy”

9 February 2023, 14:51

Penn Badgley reacts to fans wanting to date Joe from You

By Sam Prance

"Every time I’ve done a masturbation scene, I've always gotten the note to make it less creepy."

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Penn Badgley has opened up about filming Joe's masturbation scenes in You and why he had to make them less "creepy".

It goes without saying that Penn Badgley's character in the Netflix series is creepy. Joe Goldberg is a stalker, a serial killer and without a doubt a terrible human being. Every season of You involves Joe stalking a woman and killing people who get in his way. If that weren't enough, Joe has also been known to steale his victims' underwear and masturbate in public while stalking them.

Now, Penn has revealed what filming those masturbation scenes is really like and let slip that he often has to refilm them.

Penn Badgley had to refilm Joe&squot;s masturbation scenes in You because they were "too creepy" — Penn Badgley had to refilm Joe's masturbation scenes in You because they were "too creepy". Picture: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM, Netflix

Speaking on his Podcrushed podcast, Penn said: "I have scenes where I have to fake masturbate. You don't think it's going to be that big of a deal. It serves the story. It is what it is. And then you discover in front of a crew of people with a camera on your face knowing that millions of people are gonna see this, you're simulating masturbation."

He continued to say: "I have to say those scenes are sometimes harder than with a person. The feelings that go through my mind."

Penn then explained that he's often made to film the scenes again: "Every time I’ve done a masturbation scene, I’ve always gotten the note to make it less creepy. They say like, ‘Close your eyes or go faster or go slower.’"

Scoffing, he added: "I’m like, ‘What? This man is fucking murdering people, and he’s masturbating in the street. You’re saying I’m making it creepy? How is it I’m the one making it creepy?'"

Discussing one specific incident, Penn stated: "I wouldn’t close my eyes and the director came up to me. He was like ‘Buddy, I think you gotta close your eyes.'"

Joe masturbating over Beck in You season 1. Picture: Netflix

While Penn reiterated that being creepy is "the fucking point" of You, he said: "That’s just the strange line that we’re always walking on our show. Examining toxicity in sexual culture while also trying to be sexy."

What do you think? Are Joe's masturbation scenes too creepy?