Alexander Skarsgård Reveals What Went Wrong During Steamy ‘Wicker’ Scene

Alexander Skarsgård says filming “Wicker” with Olivia Colman came with an unexpected challenge when one of their intimate scenes became so physical that the bed beneath them actually broke.

The 50-year-old actor opened up about the memorable behind-the-scenes moment while discussing the romantic fantasy, in which he undergoes one of the most unusual transformations of his career.

EntertainmentNow revealed Skarsgård’s dramatic new look as a man literally made from wicker. But transforming into the strange character was only part of what made filming memorable. According to Skarsgård and Colman, their intimate scenes arrived almost immediately after production began, and some of the furniture did not survive.

Alexander Skarsgård Says the ‘Wicker’ Sex Scene Felt Like a ‘Rollercoaster’

Skarsgård told People that he and Colman filmed some of their intimate material on the second or third day of production. That meant there was little time to gradually build up to the more revealing scenes.

Skarsgård compared anticipating the scenes to riding a “rollercoaster,” knowing what was coming almost as soon as filming began. Then things became even more unpredictable.

During one particularly energetic encounter between their characters, the bed broke. Colman said their laughter when it happened was genuine, describing it as “proper full on” laughter.

The broken bed was apparently not a one-time occurrence. “We broke a few beds,” Skarsgård told the San Francisco Chronicle while discussing the movie’s intimate scenes. Colman also told the outlet that intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien helped choreograph the scenes almost like dance routines, giving the actors a clear structure to follow.

The actress admitted that she normally feels extremely embarrassed while filming intimate scenes, but said she felt comfortable working on “Wicker.” The humor also made the experience easier. “It’s less awkward when it’s funny and more like real life, I think,” Colman said.

Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård Got Intimate Early in Filming

The timing made the experience even more unusual. Rather than spending weeks getting accustomed to each other as co-stars before shooting the romantic material, Skarsgård said the intimate sequences came during the first few days of production.

He told the San Francisco Chronicle that filming those scenes so early also helped him discover the physicality of his unusual character. The scenes were designed to mix romance, comedy and physicality, something the filmmakers apparently undersold to Colman before filming began.

Co-director Eleanor Wilson recalled telling the actress that the sex scenes would mainly be played for comedy and would not be too intense. Fellow director Alex Huston Fischer acknowledged that the finished sequences became considerably steamier.

“Wicker” follows a lonely Fisherwoman, played by Colman, who has spent years being ridiculed by the people in her seaside village. Tired of the treatment, she commissions the local Basket Weaver, played by Peter Dinklage, to create a husband for her.

The result is Skarsgård’s Wicker Husband, whose relationship with the Fisherwoman soon creates jealousy, fascination and upheaval throughout the community.

Alexander Skarsgård Faced Another Challenge Inside His Wicker Costume

The bedroom scenes were not Skarsgård’s only physical challenge. His unusual appearance was largely created practically rather than through computer-generated effects.

Wētā Workshop designed and created the Wicker Husband using a fully practical fabricated suit and facial prosthetic makeup for Skarsgård. According to the effects company, most shots of the character contain no CGI, although a small amount of visual effects was used for specific details.

Skarsgård said the early days of production involved figuring out how to move inside the elaborate costume and discovering its limitations. There was another issue: it became extremely hot.

Colman praised her co-star for rarely complaining while wearing the cumbersome outfit. Skarsgård joked in response that he was “secretly crying on the mat.” The character also challenged him in a less physical way.

Skarsgård has said he is accustomed to playing darker, more conflicted characters, making the Wicker Husband’s kind, sweet and morally righteous personality somewhat intimidating for him as an actor.

What Is ‘Wicker’ About?

Despite its unusual premise and headline-making bedroom scenes, Skarsgård said the story’s emotional side was part of what attracted him to the project. “Wicker” was written and directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, who adapted the screenplay from Ursula Wills-Jones’ short story “The Wicker Husband.”

Alongside Colman, Skarsgård and Dinklage, the film stars Elizabeth Debicki as the Tailor’s Wife, a woman whose unhappy marriage helps fuel her hostility toward the Fisherwoman’s unconventional relationship.

Variety described the movie as a “twisted, unconventional romance,” with the central relationship sparking outrage, jealousy and chaos in the conservative village. For Skarsgård, however, the stranger elements did not overshadow the story’s tenderness.

He told People that he was drawn to how romantic, sweet and funny the story was, as well as the way its characters avoided becoming simple clichés or stereotypes. “Wicker” opened in select U.S. theaters on Oct. 23 and is scheduled to expand nationwide on Oct. 30.

What could have become an uncomfortable filming mishap instead gave Skarsgård and Colman something real to laugh about. It also added another layer of unpredictability to a romance that was unconventional from the start.