Sex Scenes That Had Social Media In Shambles: ‘Mea Culpa’ And More
Prepare for a whole lotta hunchin’ on your TV screen.
PERRY WELL FILMS 2/COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Sex scenes within film and television have long been controversial, with more conservative critics arguing overtly sexual imagery is nothing more than a titillating way to engage viewers, whether or not the story calls for it. However, there are plenty of on-screen romps that turn out to be pivotal to the plot AND a turn-on for viewers, so much so that fans feel compelled to dish on the beast with two backs via social media.
Most recently, Tyler Perry’s Mea Cupla sent tongues wagging over a sexy scene involving his leading characters getting it in while covered in paint. This is just the latest frisky scene to take over our timelines.
Check out these eight sex scenes from films and television shows — as well as the seasons and episodes in which the appear — that had the internet in shambles, below.
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‘Mea Cupla’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Painting Scene
Tyler Perry’s erotic thriller Mea Culpa features plenty of steamy scenes, but the one that set social media ablaze features stars Kelly Rowland and Trevante Rhodes getting frisky in Zyair’s (Rhodes) paint studio. Sexual tension leads to the pair getting it in on the floor soon after he sensually pours paint all over Mea (Rowland), resulting in a sexy mess X/Twitter couldn’t shut up about.
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‘Insecure’
Issa Cheats On Lawrence With Daniel
Insecure became an Immediate hit with millennials — especially Black millennials — as it depicted the complications of modern dating in a, at times, painfully realistic way. Season 1, episode 5 of the hit HBO comedy found protagonist Issa Dee, frustrated in her relationship with slacker boyfriend Lawrence, cheating on him with her ex, Daniel, at the artist’s studio.
The scene was disappointing for fans of the series’ main couple, but it also forced Issa down off of her high-horse and forced her to assess how she treats those around her. Not to mention, that sexy-ass lighting on their stunning skin tones had fans of the frisky scene in a chokehold.
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‘Insecure’
Image Credit: Courtesy of HBO. Lawrence Seeks Revenge With Tasha
Lawrence went tit-for-tat after discovering Issa’s indiscretion, as he later had a revenge-sex session with bank teller Tasha within the show’s Season 1 finale.
Often referred to as “the backshots heard ’round the world,” this scene caused a huge stir upon it’s airing for its aggressive and raw depiction of rebound sex, not to mention the implications of the session on Issa and Lawrence’s relationship at the time.
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‘SWARM’
Image Credit: Amazon Prime Video Dre Spies On Melissa And Her Trash BF
Donald Glover-produced series Swarm made headlines for multiple reasons upon its Amazon Prime debut, including for a sex scene featuring Chloe Bailey and Damson Idris as protagonist Dre’s bestie Melissa and her boyfriend, Khalid. During the scene, Dre hears the couple getting it in and decides to spy on the action, creepily meeting Khalid’s gaze as he handles Melissa from behind.
The scene from the series premiere episode was one of the most — if not, thee most — discussed scenes in the entire series, with the nimrods among us believing the actors were actually having sex. Bailey addressed the scene soon after it was released.
“When I first read the script, I was like, ‘Oh this is insane, this is incredible,’ and I cried, and then I realized, ‘you gotta do that sex scene, girl.’ As open and liberal as I am about my body, I was very scared because I haven’t had that many partners,” Bailey explained. “I’m not like that—like that sexual and open. Damson made it really comfortable; you know, there were limited people on set. It was a closed set.”
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‘BMF’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Starz. Starz hit BMF has had plenty of noteworthy moments dissected on social media, but few reactions were bigger that when fans watched episode 209 of the show’s second season. It featured Lil Meech as his father, Big Meech, smashing a stripper while in the club. Eagle-eyed viewers also couldn’t help but comment on the baby arm he was slangin’, with some convinced it was too large to be real.
Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory spoke with VIBE about the highly-discussed scene, sharing with a smirk, “It was actually very cool. It was very cool being a first-time actor and being able to film a scene like that. “I guess back then, that’s what was going on. My father loved the club. He was always in the club every day, so I definitely understood. But, I don’t know if they’re [Starz] going to put any more scenes or any more episodes like that.”
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‘Power’
Image Credit: Starz While fictional couple Keisha and Tommy from Belly shared an iconic sex scene within the flick, two characters of the same name were introduced to audiences in the social media era via Power, with LaLa Anthony playing LaKeisha Grant and Joseph Sikora playing Tommy.
The pair shared several saucy scenes, but one that was particularly memorable for viewers came in Season 4, Episode 2, as the lovers get it on in her kitchen on a countertop. They also have a discussion about Tommy being LaKeisha’s first white partner.
“You ever play in the snow before,” Tommy asked, with Lakeisha answering, “No. The snow can be unpredictable. You never know how many inches you’re gonna get.”
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‘Bridgerton’
Image Credit: Netflix Simon and Daphne’s 3-minute sex montage
Netflix hit Bridgerton entranced viewers with its music, luxe period ‘fits, storytelling and — of course — steamy sex scenes, of which there are plenty to choose from. For this list, we’ll highlight the 3-minute sex montage between newlyweds Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Duke Simon Hastings (Regé-Jean Page).
The Season 1, Episode 6 scene features the passionate pair making love in bed, in the rain on the grounds of their grand estate, and even in the property’s library, scored to a classical violin version of Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams.”
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‘POSE’
Image Credit: FX Pray Tell and Ricky take it there.
FX hit POSE may have wrapped its final season in 2021, but fans of the series still consider a sex scene featuring Pray Tell (Billy Porter) and Ricky (Dyllón Burnside) one of the most important in Queer television history, particularly for Queer people of color. While it comes behind iconic shows like Noah’s Ark, Queer As Folk and The L Word — which laid the groundwork for showcasing physical intimacy within the LGBTQ+ community — POSE became a phenomenon within the social media era, garnering it plenty of attention for the steamy scene. And the romp being scored to Babyface didn’t hurt, either.
Porter spoke on the scene — which can be found in season 2, episode 8 — with Entertainment Weekly, telling the pub, “I would say that was probably the hardest and most difficult thing for me to do, because as a Black queer man who has lived in a space for 30 years of being the magical fairy on the side, of never, ever being the object of anyone’s affection in anything in my entire career, ever…I’ve not had a kiss in anything. Not on stage, not on nothing. I haven’t been the object of anyone’s affection.”
“I can’t even watch it,” he added. “Not because of what I look like, just because I’m still trying to find a space where I can be comfortable watching myself have sex on-screen.”
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