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

American actress Margo Stilley’s feature film debut in 2004 remains the most sexually explicit mainstream flick ever produced in the UK.

Despite it still being considered controversial more than two decades later, the star claimed she’s ‘proud’ of her work.

The Californian, who most recently starred in the English-language crime thriller The Host, played Lisa in 9 Songs - a movie featuring real sexual intercourse, an oral sex performance, and an ejaculation scene.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom, 9 Songs follows exchange student Lisa and scientist Matt (played by Kieran O’Brien), who meet at the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and embark on a relationship.

The romantic drama may have been showcased at the Cannes Film Festival, but it hasn’t gone on to become a classic, with a low 23 percent score on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and myriad reviews that describe it as nothing but a ‘tedious watch’.

Despite its unfavorable ratings and its reputation for being ‘exceedingly boring’ and even ‘actively annoying’ according to movie critics, Stilley, 42, has defended the indie, arthouse film's graphic sex scenes.

In a 2008 interview with the Irish Examiner, the star claimed she still looked fondly on her first outing despite the fact that people who watched it were apparently ‘really angry’ with her.

"When I did press conferences, people would shout abuse at me,” she alleged.

Stilley recalled how she’d been called a 'wh**e' and a 'sl*t' because of the sex scenes, adding: "People ask me if I felt that [director] Michael Winterbottom took advantage of me because I hadn't acted before, but they forget that I developed the character."

When asked about people's reactions, Stilley pointed out that the movie was 'about love and sex', adding: "It wasn't porn. I mean, I had sex with my boyfriend last night and that wasn't porn."

9 Songs remains a polarizing film, with some not taking too kindly to the unsimulated sex scenes (StudioCanal UK)

"It was just hot sex! 9 Songs was a real film about love and sex, and I wanted to do that film and I am proud of it."

Despite being thrust into the spotlight thanks to 9 Songs, Stilley went on to assure that she doesn't feel she has been 'typecast' as a result.

"I honestly can say it hasn't affected my career," she said. "I don't get seen only for roles as women who have sex a lot."

Speaking to LADbible about the film last May, the mom revealed that her name was taken off the credits, but that it wasn't intentional.

“I said, ‘oh just put me on as Lisa’ at the Cannes screenings which were not public, then the press got it and The News of the World ran a hotline for anyone who had information on who I was,” Stilley recalled.

Stilley claimed the controversial movie did not negatively impact her career (Instagram/@margostilley)

“I then realised I was causing a lot of ruckus,” the actress added, joking that her decision was a stroke of unintentional ‘marketing genius’.

Prior to becoming an actor, Stilley worked as a model after leaving her home in North Carolina and flying to Milan.

She later ended up in London, where she landed a part in an Israeli advertisement through a modelling contact.

Over the years, the producer has appeared in various other film and TV ventures, including the ITV adaptation of Marple: Murder Is Easy, the beloved comedy How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, and Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon’s The Trip.