Why 'Bros' Cut Out a "$30,000 Butt Rig" Shot
Despite its costly practical effect, this often unseen sexual act was cut from the pivotal sex scene in Bros.
Sex in film and TV is always a bit complicated to write and direct, but the cast and crew of Bros knew exactly want they wanted from their climatic sex scene.
Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, and Bros director Nicholas Stoller told EW how they created a groundbreaking gay sex scene for their romantic comedy.
While the scene did involve a lot of improvisation, the actors and director wanted to present the sex scene as tender, extremely specific, and kink-friendly.
The scene opens at the key point in Bobby’s (Eichner) and Aaron’s (Macfarlane) new relationship. It’s a bit of an awkward relationship moment that many of us are familiar with—we are sure of each other’s feelings, but unsure of how to push past emotional unavailability.
“I said to Nick and Luke, I was like, this movie won’t be complete until Luke’s entire fist is in my mouth, and we went from there,” Eichner said of the scene, which he hoped registered for its “physical comedy.”
The two reveal their sexual quirks to each other, which ultimately leaves them at the most vulnerable moment in their relationship to date.
“Sex can be funny, awkward, silly, and absurd, but also romantic and sweet, but it also serves the story because the sex that these guys have, it evolves over the course of the movie as their relationship becomes more intimate and vulnerable,” Eichner told EW.
Eichner continues, saying, “...I say at the end [of] the movie that I’m sick of being angry and I’m sick of being strong, and we watch that story unfold—sex is part of that.”
During the sex scene, the physical exploration of the characters leads to rimming.
“We were going to shoot a rim job moment, but then White Lotus beat us to the punch, so we cut that,” Eichner told EW.
'Bros'Credit: Universal Pictures
Stoller told EW that “there was a $30,000 butt rig [that] Aaron goes down on.” They created the effect by using “two puppeteers” on both sides of the bed to maneuver the butt around Aaron’s mouth.
Rimming is a sex act that is rarely shown on-screen. When White Lotusshowed the scene in its fourth episode, many fans online celebrated the moment for showing explicit queer representation on screen. Although there was some criticism from gay and bisexual men regarding the positioning of partners during the sexual act, the overall reaction was positive.
Although Bros cut the scene from the final film, the movie does a great job at capturing the awkward sincerity of sex.
Bros is now playing in theaters everywhere. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Source: EW