Eleanor Tomlinson has shared why she was adamant about keeping her clothes on for Channel 4’s new erotic thriller, The Couple Next Door.
The Poldark actress, 31, more commonly seen donning a Regency gown – will show audiences a whole new side as she plays primary school teacher Evie.
Due hit screens on Monday, the six part drama will explore the consequences of pursuing your deepest desires.
The series sees Evie and her husband Pete (Alfred Enoch) set up base in an upscale neighbourhood, where they meet next door neighbours policeman Danny (Sam) and his wife, glamorous yoga instructor Becka (Jessica De Gouw).
As time goes on, the two couples get increasingly close and on one steamy night, become sexually entangled in a way that will change their lives forever.
Leading lady: Eleanor Tomlinson, who will star in new erotic Channel 4 thriller The Couple Next Door, reveals why she refused to go nude on camera
Racy: The six-part psychological drama follows primary school teacher Evie (Eleanor Tomlinson) and her husband Pete (Alfred Enoch) move to a fancy neighbourhood, where they befriend policeman Danny (Sam) and his wife, Becka (Jessica De Gouw) (Pictured: Alfred Enoch and Eleanor Tomlinson in The Couple Next Door)
But despite the show’s raunchy nature, Tomlinson has remained steadfast about getting naked on camera, quipping that she felt it was unnecessary.
She told The Times: ‘I have done nudity before but, for me, it’s based on each project and how necessary I feel it is. And I didn’t feel like it was for this.’
Tomlinson also reasoned that nude scenes are ‘very serious’ and can follow actors for the entirety of their careers.
She said: ‘There’s an element of self-preservation that comes into it because you’re opening yourself up to be screenshot and paused, and those pictures end up online and will forever be there.’
The 31-year-old candidly shared that at certain points there was pressure being applied for her to go nude.
But the actress refused to waiver stating the ‘harder’ it was pushed for, the more she wanted to tell those behind the scenes to be more creative.
She stressed that there were a myriad of different ways to show the saucier scenes, and it all boils down to the chemistry between actors and how well they work with intimacy coordinators.
Entangled: The couples become sexually entwined during a night that will change their lives forever
Consequences: Tomlinson was adamant about not going nude despite the show’s racy nature, as she noted it felt unnecessary, defending her stance by adding that an an unfortunate screenshot an actor in scene could have lasting ramifications on their career (Pictured: Sam Heughen and Eleanor Tomlinson in The Couple Next Door)
Steadfast: The actress also argued that putting everything on full display distracts the audience
Furthering her stance, the actress added that putting ‘everything’ on display ‘pauses’ the audience’s attention.
Tomlinson noted that due to the program’s sexual nature, it would have been an ‘obvious’ choice to include nudity.
She added: ‘I actually think not having it makes it more interesting […] For me it has to be character-driven.’
This comes after Eleanor and co-star Sam Heughan, 31 revealed all about filming their sizzling hot scenes with intimacy coordinator Vanessa Coffey.
Speaking in the latest edition of Radio Times, Tomlinson said: ‘Everybody felt comfortable.
‘The way that the sex scenes are shot isn’t necessarily what you would expect. I was keen to get across [the idea] that you can make something just as sexy by implying it.’
She added that working with Sam on set has been ‘debaucherously fun’.
Sam, who worked with Vanessa on Outlander, added: ‘I think we both have a great deal of experience with that perspective.
‘Period dramas are different worlds. I knew Vanessa was great, and had a really nice demeanour about her on set.
‘I think we’ve both maybe struggled in the past with [sex] scenes, and how to portray them without giving away too much or feeling uncomfortable.
‘It was great to push these scenes and make them feel intimate for the viewer without making it really difficult to shoot.’
The Couple Next Door kicks off on Channel 4 on Monday, November 27 at 9pm
Co-stars: Eleanor’s character Evie will harbour a deep attraction for her next-door neighbour Danny, played by Sam. She described working with her co-star as ”debaucherously fun’
Psychological drama: The Couple Next Door is hitting Channel 4 on November 27 at 9pm (Jessica De Gouw as Becka, pictured)
