Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis says she has no plans to film additional love scenes in her acting career, unless filmmakers are willing to change how they’re written.
Speaking on the podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, Davis made her stance clear.
“I can’t stand love scenes. I can’t stand watching them. I can’t stand doing them,” she said.
The actress, known for her role in How to Get Away with Murder, explained that she reached a turning point during her time on the show.
“I finally said… I’m not doing any more love scenes anymore. I mean, that’s it,” she said.
However, Davis added a humorous but pointed caveat.
“You write a love scene—I’m not doing it unless you give me a boyfriend who has a stomach,” she joked, before clarifying, “A big gut.”
According to Davis, the request is about shifting the focus of such scenes.
“Because you’ll actually write the scene,” she explained. “It won’t be about taking off the shirt and the six-pack abs.”
She also shared her discomfort with filming intimate scenes, calling them one of the least enjoyable parts of her work.
“The couple of times it’s been on the call sheet, I’m like, ‘Oh no, this is the worst day,’” Davis said.
The host then added a lighthearted warning about actors who look forward to such moments.
“Anybody that’s like, ‘Ooh, I got a love scene today’: red flag,” she said.
Davis’ comments have sparked conversation online about body image, realism in storytelling, and how intimacy is portrayed in film and television.
