Ruth Wilson's departure from "The Affair" as a stand against forced nudity

The Showtime series "The Affair" started in 2014 and lasted five seasons. It narrates an affair between a married man and a married woman struggling with the loss of a child. Ruth Wilson played the main character and unexpectedly left the show before the final season. When enquired about her departure, she could not respond due to a non-disclosure agreement with the producers.

"It was before #MeToo and before Harvey Weinstein—and yet my instincts were very clear and strong about what I felt was wrong, about what was going on, and about what I didn’t feel safe about," said Wilson.

In 2020, "The Hollywood Reporter" published a report based on discussions with "The Affair" crew members. It was revealed that actors, especially Ruth Wilson, were frequently pressured to perform explicit scenes in a nightgown, even if they were unjustified and not previously included in the script.

The most debated incident involved a scene where Wilson's character is taken forcefully by her lover, with the camera intrusively focusing on the woman's face, avoiding her intimate areas.

In her defence, the show's creator, Sarah Treem, who was reportedly the most toxic individual in the production, stated that all scenes were filmed respecting the dignity and comfort of the actors. She also reminded that in the controversial rape scene, Ruth Wilson was not required to undress, as a body double was used.

Dominic West, the male lead in "The Affair", has now spoken out about the issue of forcing actors into nudity and sex scenes.

"We talked a lot about it and I suppose I did experience it. I don’t really like talking about it but … yeah, everything Ruth has said is absolutely right," he explained in "The Times".