'I haven't got a problem with nudity': Anna Friel discusses stripping off on screen... and says sometimes just showing 'a back or a leg can be sexy'

By Emily Chan For Mailonline

Published: 13:06 EST, 18 May 2017 | Updated: 16:14 EST, 18 May 2017

She caused a stir at the BAFTAs on Sunday night, after she was spotted getting close to Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton.

And now Anna Friel has spoken being about confident in her own skin, saying she hasn't 'got a problem with nudity' on screen. 

Speaking about the issue in an interview with John Bishop, the 40-year-old said she won't strip off if it's 'gratuitous', adding that just a 'back can be sexy, or the leg'.

'I haven't got a problem with nudity': Anna Friel has discussed stripping off screen, saying she hasn't got a problem with going nude 

'I haven't got a problem with nudity': Anna Friel has discussed stripping off screen, saying she hasn't got a problem with going nude 

The former Brookside star has previously gone nude in 2013 film The Look Of Love, as well as the ITV drama Marcella.

She is also set to strip off in season two of The Girlfriend Experience, in which she plays a political executive who has a lesbian relationship with a female escort.

Speaking about deciding when nudity is necessary on screen, Anna spoke about her time on the popular comedy drama Pushing Daisies.

'If anything’s ever gratuitous, I won't do it': The 40-year-old, who has previously gone nude in The Look Of Love (pictured), said she won't strip off if it's 'gratuitous'

'If anything’s ever gratuitous, I won't do it': The 40-year-old, who has previously gone nude in The Look Of Love (pictured), said she won't strip off if it's 'gratuitous'

She said: 'I remember with Pushing Daisies, just because I haven’t got a problem with nudity doesn’t mean I’ll always not have a problem with nudity.

'People would think: “Oh, she’ll get undressed, we’ll put that into the script". [But] If anything’s ever gratuitous or salacious it will be questioned, or I won’t do it.' 

Anna said her issue wasn't always to do with going completely nude, saying at times she'd get notes about showing 'more cleavage'.

'Whatever's right for the character': Anna spoke about her time on the popular comedy drama Pushing Daisies, saying at times she'd get notes about showing 'more cleavage' 

'Whatever's right for the character': Anna spoke about her time on the popular comedy drama Pushing Daisies, saying at times she'd get notes about showing 'more cleavage' 

Gory: She said the team behind ITV crime drama Marcella were very 'respectful' when she went nude for one scene 

Gory: She said the team behind ITV crime drama Marcella were very 'respectful' when she went nude for one scene 

The actress said she'd respond by saying Well I don’t think it needs that to be sexy', adding: 'Sometimes a little waist can be sexy or a back can be sexy or the leg, it depends, it’s whatever’s right for a character.' 

Speaking about stripping off for the ITV crime drama Marcella, she said: '[T]his is how respectful they were, I think at one point you could maybe see a side of a nipple and they superimposed the steam on the mirror so that you couldn’t, because there was no need for that and it would take you out of the story.'  

She added: '[I]f you’re someone whose husband has just left you, you don’t know whether you’ve murdered someone, the last thing you’re gonna be thinking about is being sexy.' 

Causing a stir: The interview comes after pictures emerged of Anna putting on a cosy dispay with actor Charlie Heaton at the BAFTA awards on Sunday 

Causing a stir: The interview comes after pictures emerged of Anna putting on a cosy dispay with actor Charlie Heaton at the BAFTA awards on Sunday 

The interview comes after pictures emerged of Anna putting on a cosy dispay with actor Charlie Heaton at the BAFTA awards on Sunday.

She was seen grabbing her one-time co-stars derriere while draping an arm around the star and enjoying a giggly chat.

A source at the event told The Sun: 'Everyone was a little shocked because he's so much younger, but there was electric chemistry between them.

'They only had eyes for each other and couldn't keep their hands to themselves.' 

John Bishop In Conversation with Anna Friel airs on Thursday night on W at 9pm.  

'Just a leg can be sexy': She added sometimes just showing off a'back can be sexy, or the leg' 

'Just a leg can be sexy': She added sometimes just showing off a'back can be sexy, or the leg' 

Comments 28

Share what you think

  View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

  View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.