HBO (Photo : HBO)
Emilia Clarke of "Game of Thrones" and other actors who do not relish taking off their clothes for their scenes should avoid working in HBO's new series "Westworld."
The new show has nudity clause on the contracts of its actors, according to the New York Post. The extras are expected to perform graphic sex acts like touching each other's genitals and mounting each other nude. They are also expected to appear fully unclothed, wear a pubic hair patch, have their private parts painted and simulate oral sex with hand-to-genital touching.
Extras are also required to contort their bodies and form a table-like shape while nude, go down on all fours unclothes as someone rides on their backs and ride on another actor's back while naked. However, the more than 50 extras who would agree to the nudity clause started shooting on Wednesday with a higher rate of $600 a day compared to the standard $157 union pay rate.
The union agreement specifies extra pay for background performers if they are asked to bring wardrobe, but no additional payment if they are not asked to bring or not to wear clothes for their scene as what would happen in the cable TV series.
Hollywood Reporter describes the consent form that the actors signed on Tuesday as having conditions that read "like the Kama Sutra." The Kama Sutra is the ancient Indian guide on various positions that couples could try while making love.
Pamela Greenwalt, spokesman of the Screen Actors Guild, criticized the nudity clause because the extras were allegedly not explained their rights. "Employers should not be requiring performers to sign consent forms that do not accurately describe their rights under the collective-bargaining agreement," Greenwalt says.
She adds that actors have the right to withdraw their consent at any time, have a closed set for the naked scenes and ban on still photography. However, HBO said the waiver was given out by casting agency which the company did not approve. It is correcting immediately the discrepancies in the contract with "actual-on-set practice, which provide a professional and comfortable working environment for all performers," according to HBO
"Westworld" is set in on futuristic resort offering orgies and in brothels with robots as staff. It is based on a 1973 film by Michael Chricton, starring James Brolin and Yul Brynner.
