Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson Open Up About “Humiliating” Prep for ‘Die, My Love’ Sex Scenes

As Die, My Love makes waves at the Cannes Film Festival, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson are offering a candid glimpse behind the scenes of their intense new drama. Tackling heavy themes like postpartum psychosis and marital struggles, the film also provided the actors with a unique—and, by their own admission, “humiliating”—preparation for their intimate scenes.

Both Lawrence and Pattinson are no strangers to filming sex scenes, having tackled them in projects like The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. However, the approach for Die, My Love, directed by Lynne Ramsay, was unlike anything they’d experienced before.

In an interview with Brut, Lawrence revealed that the director had them take dance lessons before shooting began. “It was so humiliating and embarrassing,” she admitted, while Pattinson agreed, saying, “You can’t get more embarrassed.”

The unusual dance instructions—encouraging them to “move like molasses”—proved surprisingly useful when the actors started filming with a full day dedicated to sex scenes. Pattinson reflected, “It’s kind of a good idea actually, ’cause if we didn’t like each other, it becomes increasingly more awkward.” Lawrence added with a laugh, “On our first day of shooting, we were naked, attacking each other like tigers. You think it can’t get more embarrassing, and they’re like, ‘Now, do it naked!’”

Despite the awkward start, both actors agreed that comfort grew as the day progressed. Lawrence noted, “Eventually you get used to it and you’re like talking, getting notes, having a snack—naked!”

Integral to their comfort on set was the presence of an intimacy coordinator. Lawrence emphasized, “I felt safe the whole time. Rob was very appropriate.” Pattinson highlighted the coordinator’s role beyond safety: “Sometimes directors are scared to say, ‘Your body looks weird in this angle!’ But if it’s someone else whose specific job is to say, ‘You just move it a little bit, you’re going to like it more,’ it’s nice to have.”

Die, My Love was picked up by Mubi for distribution following its Cannes premiere, where it reportedly received a six-minute standing ovation. The film’s mix of raw emotion and meticulous craft clearly resonated—not just with audiences, but with its leading stars who navigated the vulnerable process together with humor and professionalism.