The lead actress from the controversial film *9 Songs*, known for its unsimulated intimate scenes, has defended the film two decades after its release.
Margo Stilley made her debut in the 2004 film and has since appeared in various movies and television series including *The Trip*, *The Royals* alongside Elizabeth Hurley, *The Host*, and *How to Lose Friends & Alienate People*.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Winterbottom, *9 Songs* delves into the intense relationship between the characters Matt, played by Kieran O’Brien, and Lisa, portrayed by Stilley.
The provocative film featured genuine intimate scenes, including oral sex and an ejaculation scene, which have sparked discussions over the years.
Although films with provocative content often attract viewers, like the movie *Saltburn*, *9 Songs* did not fare well with critics. It holds a mere 23 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with one critic describing it as ‘actively annoying’.
Despite the controversial scenes in *9 Songs*, Stilley admitted she hadn’t anticipated the significant reaction it would provoke.
In a 2024 interview with LADBible, she expressed: “I just didn’t think would be that interested. I was so wrong.
“I didn’t understand that I would become the target of Britain’s repressed sexuality and all the rage that comes with sexual repression [and] as the woman I was the figurehead for it.”
In a 2005 conversation with The Guardian, she claimed to be ‘proud’ of her work in the film.
Michael Winterbottom, who directed the movie, also defended *9 Songs* in his remarks to the news outlet. He explained: “Part of the point of making the film was to say, ‘What’s wrong with showing sex?'”
Stilley elaborated on her decision to take on the role, sharing her motivations.
She stated: “I wanted to make a film about something I really believe in, which is to show sex in a very positive light, as a very important piece of everyday life and a very important piece of a relationship, whether it’s successful or unsuccessful.”
Reflecting on the portrayal of intimacy in cinema, she added: “What I find in films I see is that sex is always a turning point in action, someone’s cheating on someone, or someone dies. It’s always the kids having sex in horror films that die. And I didn’t like that.
“And in the sexually explicit films I’ve seen like *Ai No Corrida* [the Japanese classic in which the heroine cuts off her partner’s penis], they’re crazy, people don’t do that, it’s not normal!”