Fellow Travelers’ Jonathan Bailey Reveals His BTS Routine For Intimate Scenes

Summary:

• Fellow Travelers is a Showtime miniseries based on Thomas Mallon's novel of the same name.
• The show begins in the 1950s and follows two lovers portrayed by Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, through decades of American history.
• While there are many intimate scenes in the show, they are all important in understanding the dynamics of a relationship.

On-screen intimacy has always been a topic of debate among both creators and viewers.

While some people are happy to watch R-rated scenes in TV shows and movies as long as they are relevant to the plot or understanding of the characters, others don't find them appealing in any way. The same goes for industry professionals: not everyone feels safe and comfortable working on such a set.

Of course, the film industry moves forward and tries to find the best way to perform and portray such scenes. With the help of intimacy coordinators, the majority of actors now feel at least somewhat comfortable performing intimate scenes.

As for the viewers... Well, it will always be a valid preference to either watch and enjoy or skip the nudity altogether. However, in some series, such as Showtime's recent hit Fellow Travelers, it would significantly reduce the overall airing time.

Is There A Lot Of Sex In Fellow Travelers?

Both stars of the show, Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, are very open about the importance of the intimacy between their characters to better understand the situation Hawk and Tim found themselves in. You are supposed to feel like they are going over the top, because they really are.

All the frustration and sexuality that has to be repressed in times of Lavender Scare finds its way out wherever these two characters end up alone. Filming such passionate scenes can take a lot of preparation, and Jonathan Bailey was happy to share a little bit of his routine in the latest EW interview:

“When you're going on set and it's 3 in the morning and you've done 16 hours worth of filming and you are about to only start the intimacy scenes, you do have to summon the angels and listen to Enya and draw from the ground to muster up the courage,” he joked.

As playful as this answer is, the actor also noted that the process of building courage also applies to his character, Tim. Always struggling with Catholic guilt and trying to reason with himself about the morality of his love, he had to have the courage not to suppress all of his feelings at once.

Ultimately, Fellow Travelers has a lot more to offer than a bunch of hot scenes spliced together. But they are a nice bonus for anyone who appreciates the beauty of passion and desire. Tune in to Showtime to catch Fellow Travelers finale on December 15, or stream the first episode online at Paramount Plus.

Source: EW