Scarlett Johansson Jokes That Director Wes Anderson “[Hid] His Face” When She Filmed Her ‘Asteroid City’ Nude Scene

Wes Anderson‘s films are known for having a very specific style and aesthetic, but one thing they’re not known for is an abundance of sex or nudity. The writer and director has referenced sex in several of his films, including Rushmore and Bottle Rocket, but his new film, Asteroid City, marks the first time there’s any actual nudity to speak of, thanks to a brief scene when Scarlett Johansson‘s character, a movie star named Midge Campbell, appears undressed.

When discussing the nude scene, Johansson said that Anderson was a bit removed and even embarrassed during filming.

“Wes is probably the worst person to talk to about anything like that. He’s so uncomfortable around that topic,” Johansson told Yahoo Entertainment.

“I’ll leave it up to your imagination… There was a lot of throat clearing and [Wes] sort of hiding his face,” she added.

Johansson’s nudity was a reason that the film initially earned an R-rating from the MPAA, which Anderson appealed. The film was later given a PG-13 rating as a result of its “brief graphic nudity, smoking, and some suggestive material.”

Scarlett Johansson
Photo: Everett Collection

Set in 1955, Asteroid City is a sci-fi comedy which follows a star studded cast, including Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, and many more as a group of attendees at an annual Junior Stargazer convention in a fictional desert town in America, who arrive as a world-changing event is about to occur there.

Asteroid City is out in theaters today.