How do you see it?

[Bini]

This thread got me thinking..

What do you think about a married LDS actor or actress engaging in affection or depicting intimacy with a fellow performing artist? Is there nothing wrong with it because it's "pretend"? Or does it cross the line even though the individual is just portraying a character as part of their job?

[Guest]

This thread got me thinking..

What do you think about a married LDS actor or actress engaging in affection or depicting intimacy with a fellow performing artist? Is there nothing wrong with it because it's "pretend"? Or does it cross the line even though the individual is just portraying a character as part of their job?

Is it pornographic or added to the story for commercialization through sexualization? Then it's wrong.

If not, then the judgement is on the heart of the actor/actress.

[jayanna]

I think a lot depends on the type of affection...is it lustful? or is it a bit like petting the family dog?

[Jennarator]

Just me but I wouldn't do it. It was weird enough holding someother guy's hand in "A Christmas Carol." I couldn't kiss someone and make it look real, I would cringe.

I have a friend that does Christian movies. She is married, and she won't kiss or stage kiss another person, even when her character is married to her in the movie.

[Backroads]

I think, in essence, there is nothing wrong with it. I really do think a stage kiss or whatever is usually just that.

However, I can see where such things can lead to more and more excuses that lead to crossing the line...

But, in general terms, I have no problem with it.

[Blocky]

Is it pornographic or added to the story for commercialization through sexualization? Then it's wrong.

I agree with this. A lot of the sex on the screens really doesn't need to be there. It doesn't aid in the movie. If a super racy scene does add to the story, perhaps it's not a story worth telling.

I think more dangerous is an actor that is spending a lot of time on a set getting close emotionally to a co-actor. I hear all the time about celebrities leaving their significant other and most of the time it's someone they were recently staring in a movie with.

[JudoMinja]

I think it depends on two things:

1. How fake is it, really? It used to be one could do a stage kiss without ever meeting actual lips or portray intimacy without ever crossing any actual borders. Now though... many movies, films, and theatrical productions don't leave any of it to "fake". It's real. It doesn't matter that it is acting and there is no real relationship. The "acting" is real. I think if you are crossing boundaries that you would not want a youth on a date to cross, you are breaking the law of chastity. I disagree with quite a bit of what Hollywood expects to be the norm, even in some of the most innocent and well meaning films.

2. What is being taught or portrayed through the acting and the overall film? Does the intimacy have a purpose, a reason? Do we learn something from it? If it has no point other than to sexualize the film and make it more "appealing" to the public, it is wrong. If there is a reason for it and a good lesson that can be learned, then as long as the need of number one is being met so that nobody is breaking the law of chastity, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I worked on theater and film in high school and remember an instance where a friend of mine and I demonstrated just how "real" a stage kiss can look without crossing any unneccessary boundaries. Our demonstration had a purpose, as we were teaching someone who had been given a lead role and would need to be able to perform such a kiss and this person had never done a stage kiss before. Some of my classmates didn't really care if it was a stage kiss or a real kiss, but this person we were teaching was LDS like myself and wanted to make sure she was abiding by the For the Strength of Youth. I wanted to help her improve her acting and see that it was possible to complete her role without breaking her standards.

Unfortunately, the art of the stage kiss is dying, as so much of the world finds it completely unnecessary and most films now cross lines that are entirely inappropriate.

[jayanna]

I like Judominga's thing...whatever happened to they reach for each other and the lights fade out to close the scene? Sometimes I watch that show "So you think you can dance' and so much is said with those dances, so much is said when they have a lot of friction and in the end they hug. Or maybe the man lifts the woman in the air and she flings her arms up joyfully and smiles. Art has gone out of romance I think, and has been replaced with lust.

[Guest]

Yeah, ask Jennifer Aniston how she feels about it.

[Suzie]

What do you think about a married LDS actor or actress engaging in affection or depicting intimacy with a fellow performing artist? Is there nothing wrong with it because it's "pretend"? Or does it cross the line even though the individual is just portraying a character as part of their job?

It's a job, nuff said for me.

[Guest gopecon]

I like what Judominja said about For the Strenght of Youth. If you are crossing lines there, then you should not do it. If the lines are not being physically crossed, then the question is what are you portraying? If it is immoral behavior, then there is still a problem.

[applepansy]

It's a job, nuff said for me.

For the actors in porn films its a job too.

[applepansy]

I remember a talk by one of the General Authorities about 14-15 years ago. (I think it was Pres. Hinckley but I'm not sure). The story was told of a granddaughter wanting to go see this beautiful artistic movie called Titanic. His response was something to the effect "You want to go a story about a young woman engaging in pornography and extramarital sex?"

For me: Point made.

[Guest]

I remember a talk by one of the General Authorities about 14-15 years ago. (I think it was Pres. Hinckley but I'm not sure). The story was told of a granddaughter wanting to go see this beautiful artistic movie called Titanic. His response was something to the effect "You want to go a story about a young woman engaging in pornography and extramarital sex?"

For me: Point made.

The story was told of a granddaughter wanting to go see this beautiful artistic movie called Tangled. His response was something to the effect "You want to go see a story about a young man engaging in thievery?"

I don't get the point.

[Dravin]

The story was told of a granddaughter wanting to go see this beautiful artistic movie called Tangled. His response was something to the effect "You want to go see a story about a young man engaging in thievery?"

I don't get the point.

You don't get the point or you don't agree with the point?

[Suzie]

For the actors in porn films its a job too.

And?

I don't think the OP was referring to pornographic films or was it?

[applepansy]

And?

I don't think the OP was referring to pornographic films or was it?

This thread got me thinking..

What do you think about a married LDS actor or actress engaging in affection or depicting intimacy with a fellow performing artist? Is there nothing wrong with it because it's "pretend"? Or does it cross the line even though the individual is just portraying a character as part of their job?

Suzie, I guess the answer depends on a person's definition of intimacy. It also depends on what a person considers pornography.

[Guest]

This issue is the primary reason that I never became an actress. Well that, and I stink at acting.

I couldn't feel good about kissing another man under any circumstances. It doesn't matter whether I got a paycheck for it or not. That makes my watching movies a little problematic, I guess. . . why am I okay with watching what I would consider infidelity? Maybe that's why I like Bollywood movies so much. They don't kiss for the most part. They leave things to the imagination. Why can't we just do that?

[Suzie]

Suzie, I guess the answer depends on a person's definition of intimacy. It also depends on what a person considers pornography.

That's correct.

[Suzie]

This issue is the primary reason that I never became an actress. Well that, and I stink at acting.

I couldn't feel good about kissing another man under any circumstances. It doesn't matter whether I got a paycheck for it or not. That makes my watching movies a little problematic, I guess. . . why am I okay with watching what I would consider infidelity? Maybe that's why I like Bollywood movies so much. They don't kiss for the most part. They leave things to the imagination. Why can't we just do that?

Is it wrong showing two people kissing on television or a movie? I did some acting many years ago and it has never been an issue for me to be honest but I know not everyone feels the same way. Even though I believe and agree that there are some things to be left to the imagination, I think Bollywood is an absolute exaggeration.

[applepansy]

This issue is the primary reason that I never became an actress. Well that, and I stink at acting.

I couldn't feel good about kissing another man under any circumstances. It doesn't matter whether I got a paycheck for it or not. That makes my watching movies a little problematic, I guess. . . why am I okay with watching what I would consider infidelity? Maybe that's why I like Bollywood movies so much. They don't kiss for the most part. They leave things to the imagination. Why can't we just do that?

The old movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s...left a lot to the imagination. Actors had to really act back then too. None of the special effects to help them along.

I love the old movies. Today they don't need to show as much as they do in PG movies to get the "I love him/her" or "I'm attracted to him/her" point across.

[Guest]

I believe it's wrong to kiss someone when you're married to someone else.

[Suzie]

So what about if the person in question is single? Do you still see it as wrong?

[Guest]

Not if the person they're kissing is also unmarried.

[Suzie]

Not if the person they're kissing is also unmarried.

Interesting.