Nathan Fielder recently shared his experience while working alongside Emma Stone in the upcoming series “The Curse,” reflecting his complex feelings about portraying intimate emotions on screen. Fielder uses his platform on “The Rehearsal” to dissect the emotional boundaries actors navigate during love scenes.
In the latest episode titled “Kissme,” he converses with an actress who believes that love scenes feel genuine while being performed. This prompts Fielder to express his confusion, revealing that despite showcasing affection as a husband in “The Curse,” he felt no real emotional connection to Stone. Instead, he explains that he was replicating expressions of love he has seen in other films rather than feeling authentic love in that simulated relationship.
Fielder, who described feeling “intimidated” while trying to create a believable on-screen relationship with Stone, noted the challenges of helping an audience see the chemistry between their characters. He emphasized the importance of understanding why the couple is together, highlighting that their genuine need for each other is key to the narrative.
Interestingly, during his explorations, Fielder invited the real-life partners of the actors on set to observe their performances. Surprisingly, he found that these partners were unfazed by the intimate interactions, discovering a seemingly automatic acceptance of the acting dynamic.
Fielder’s observations suggest that the act of performing allows actors to navigate complex emotional portrayals while creating a “loophole” that frees them from real-life repercussions. This insight could resonate with audiences, as it underscores the art of acting as a blend of mimicry and emotional depth without requiring the actors to feel genuine love for their scene partners.
Though this exploration reflects some challenging themes of connection and emotion in performance art, Fielder’s candidness about the acting experience highlights the intricate dance between reality and fiction in storytelling. “The Rehearsal” continues to air Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on HBO and Max.