‘Proud’ actress defends filming real-life sex scenes for controversial film

The lead actress in 9 Songs, a controversial movie with unsimulated sex scenes, spoke out in defense of the film 20 years on from its release.

Margo Stilley's breakout role was in the 2004 film and she's since starred in movies and TV shows such as The Trip, The Royals with Elizabeth Hurley, The Host, and How to Lose Friends & Alienate People.

9 Songs was directed by award-winner Michael Winterbottom and follows the extremely intense relationship between Matt (Kieran O'Brien) and Lisa (Stilley).

The racy movie included real-life sex scenes, oral sex scenes, and an ejaculation scene which has sure raised eyebrows over the years.

While risky movies like these often draw audiences in – hello, Saltburn – this particular film tanked with critics. It currently boasts just 23 percent on Rotten Tomatoes where one reviewer branded it as 'actively annoying'.

Despite this and the unsimulated sex scenes in 9 Songs, Stilley said she didn't realize at the time that it would cause such a stir.

Speaking to LADBible in 2024, she shared: "I just didn't think would be that interested. I was so wrong.

"I didn't understand that I would become the target of Britain's repressed sexuality and all the rage that comes with sexual repression [and] as the woman I was the figurehead for it."

Meanwhile, in 2005, she told The Guardian she was 'proud' of the movie.

Winterbottom, the film's director, also spoke to the news outlet and defended 9 Songs. He said: "Part of the point of making the film was to say, 'What's wrong with showing sex?'"

Margo Stilley's breakout role was in 2004's 9 Songs (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Echoing similar sentiments, Stilley explained why she took on the role.

She revealed: "I wanted to make a film about something I really believe in, which is to show sex in a very positive light, as a very important piece of everyday life and a very important piece of a relationship, whether it's successful or unsuccessful."

Stilley went on to say at the time: "What I find in films I see is that sex is always a turning point in action, someone's cheating on someone, or someone dies. It's always the kids having sex in horror films that die. And I didn't like that.

"And in the sexually explicit films I've seen like Ai No Corrida [the Japanese classic in which the heroine cuts off her partner's penis], they're crazy, people don't do that, it's not normal!"