Sundance: There’s a Lot of Sex in ‘Sleeping With Other People,’ But No Nudity

You expect a romantic comedy titled “Sleeping With Other People” to feature a lot of sex, and on that front Leslye Headland’s follow-up to “Bachelorette,” which premiered last night at Sundance, didn’t disappoint.

The comedy stars Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis as a pair who lost their virginity to each other in college, only to reunite years later in a sex addicts support group in New York. The two actors appear in several compromising positions with a variety of partners (including Amanda Peet and a smarmy Adam Scott). What Headland’s film is notable for is its total lack of nudity despite the provocative subject matter.

“I personally don’t like nudity,” Headland explained during the post-screening discussion at the Eccles. 

“It was Leslye’s choice,” Brie added. “It especially speaks to her innovation and creativity to create sex scenes that are about intimacy and connection and not about nudity — and can still be risqué. It’s not about nipples. I mean, my nipples were hard, but you didn’t have to see them.”

“For me it’s just a technical thing,” Headland added. “When I see an actor naked, I think about the actor. My job is to make sure that there’s never a time when you’re thrown out of the story. That’s not to say that it isn’t used brilliantly in film; it’s just my personal thing.”

READ MORE: ‘Bachelorette’ Director Leslye Headland on Incredible Sex and Why Directing is a Female Act