The intimate scenes between Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman in ‘Miller’s Girl’ were criticized by many viewers as crude, mainly due to their 31-year age gap.
Miller’s Girl is receiving mixed reviews from viewers, with the sex scenes between the two main actors Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman being the most discussed. In the film, the actress born in 2002 plays the role of student Cairo Sweet while the veteran actor plays Jonathan Miller – her teacher. The two characters are involved in a complicated relationship that goes beyond the teacher-student framework and even has some intimate scenes.
Daily Mail said this made many viewers express their discomfort, especially when the two main actors are 31 years apart. On social network X, many viewers commented: “I think I should finally stop watching these age gap movies. They’re all gross and I’m sick of it. No Jenna Ortega or Martin Freeman can change my mind”, “Martin Freeman, what are you doing with Jenna Ortega?”, “I feel uncomfortable”, “The intimate scene between Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega might be the worst thing I’ve ever seen”, “When Martin Freeman was in his 40s, Jenna Ortega was only 10″…
Meanwhile, there are still viewers defending the film, asserting that what happens on screen is just a product of acting and staging, so everyone should relax while watching. There are also opinions that a bold film with the combination of Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega is worth enjoying.
Intimate scenes between two actors with a 31-year age gap cause backlash
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Miller’s Girl is a black comedy film written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett. It was released in January 2024 to mixed reviews from critics and has a 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes . Some critics have said that despite the two talented stars, the shallow and empty story makes the film a failure.
Jenna Ortega herself admitted that she was afraid to take a risk with the film. The 22-year-old actress shared that after reading the script, she felt the horror and beauty go hand in hand, and that this terrible story was romanticized.
“I remember being so taken aback by Cairo because of what I’ve been through in my career and I think a lot of young girls can say the same thing… I feel like teenage girls are often written in the same crude way… but Cairo is so smart and wise beyond her years that I was excited to be able to explore it,” the young star shared. She continued: “The subject matter of the film is a little more adventurous. It’s a scary thing to approach but obviously as an artist you want to take risks and explore what it could be.”
Jenna Ortega takes a risk when taking on the lead role in Miller’s Girl
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Jenna Ortega was born in 2002 in the US and started entering the entertainment industry in 2012. She has participated in many films: You, Yes day, The Fallout, Scream … and especially caused a global fever with the main role in the series Wednesday (2022). The work not only helped her become famous around the world but also brought her many important nominations, including nominations at the Golden Globe and Emmy. Jenna Ortega is one of the most sought-after Gen Z actors today and has more than 39 million followers on Instagram .
Martin Freeman was born in 1971, he is famous for many hit series: The Office, Sherlock, The Hobbit, Fargo … With more than 26 years of artistic activities, the British actor has received 2 Emmy awards, 1 BAFTA award, 1 SAG award and was nominated for a Golden Globe.