Outlander season 6 episode 2 spoilers follow.
Since its first season, Outlander has been well known for steamy sex scenes, especially those involving lead characters Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe).
The 18thcentury Highlander and former World War II nurse have romped in fields, barns, a cramped ship’s cabin and even a brothel, while we noted back in 2015 that one episode (season one’s ‘The Reckoning’, if you must know) had more steamy S&M shagging than the whole of Fifty Shades Of Grey.
However, a love scene in ‘Allegiance’, the second episode of season six, could be the most intimate sex scene Outlander has depicted so far – and surprisingly it’s not between Claire and Jamie.
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Taken directly from the sixth book in Diana Gabaldon’s series, A Breath Of Snow And Ashes, the scene involves husband and wife Fergus (César Domboy) and Marsali (Lauren Lyle). Although the couple already have a few kids running around on screen, this is the first time they’ve been shown being really intimate in the show, and the eyebrow-raising part is that it all happens while Marsali is in labour with their child.
Yes, you read that correctly. While Marsali is in labour, Fergus fondles and sucks his wife’s breasts in such a sensual way that far-from-prudish Claire – who is in the room acting as midwife – has to excuse herself to give them some privacy. Gathered family in the next room, including Jamie, quickly find ways to leave so they can no longer hear Marsali’s moans (which by this point are clearly less about the pain of labour and more about what her husband is doing).
Before a bemused Claire makes her exit, Fergus explains that he’s actually helping his wife because such stimulation can help bring labour along and reduce the pain as well (and man of the world Fergus should know – remember, he grew up in a French brothel and was raised by the experienced women there).
It’s actually not as far-fetched as it sounds. Obstetrics and gynecology specialist Doctor Sherry Ross spoke to Romper.com about what happens biologically if a woman has sex while in labor.
“During sex, the natural hormone oxytocin is produced, which can also help bring on uterine contractions,” she said. “Mentally, sex and orgasms can reduce anxiety, and bring a closeness to you and your partner during an otherwise stressful time.”
Of course, what happens in real life in the privacy of your own home/hospital room and what happens on set are two very different things. While not much skin is shown in the Outlander scene, and much of the sex between Marsali and Fergus is implied by the embarrassed look on their fleeing family members’ faces, it is still a very intimate moment for the two actors to perform.
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Thankfully for them, and for the rest of the cast who have to get their kit off for sex scenes, Outlander now has an intimacy co-ordinator to help the actors on set.
Sam Heughan spoke to Digital Spy about how he hoped an intimacy co-ordinator would benefit younger members of the cast, such as Cesar and Lauren.
“I felt a great responsibility to the younger actors. I know [when Outlander started] we were in a different time, our show was a lot more explicit in some ways than it would be now. But for young actors or people who haven’t done it, it can be very challenging so I think we wanted to support them,” he said.
“I think our show is very challenging in those scenes, and I think that is what is great about our show, it really questions the audience and puts these characters in situations, but it can be hard for an actor to navigate. So I felt responsibility to support our cast, and the crew as well and the writers, so we now know what the boundaries are, and also how to explore those.”
Outlander‘s intimacy co-ordinator, Vanessa Coffey, joined the crew for the latest season and has also worked on the Billie Piper-starring series I Hate Suzie, as well as Netflix‘s Fate: The Winx Saga and ITV’s recent Sheridan Smith drama No Return.
She worked on all the intimate scenes in season six, but admits that Fergus and Marsali’s interaction is a quite memorable one.
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“It is quite an unusual scene given its content, but really at the end of the day it is about having those conversations with the actors about ‘what is this moment of storytelling, what are we trying to say here,’ and how do we physically go about telling that story being really true to the physicality of those characters,” she says.
“In this particular scene it is a little bit different as we aren’t talking about thrusting, we’re not talking about whether or not the character goes through to orgasm, what we are talking about here is something different. So what do we need to do physically? Then let’s research what we need to do to be really true to what we are trying to say, and for the time period as well.”
Vanessa’s research certainly paid off, as the unique scene feels natural and private throughout despite its surprise value – and it joins the already impressive list of sensuous scenes that Outlander has become famous for.
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