Stefanie Preissner on her first ever sex scene: 'Imagine on a second date being asked to climb on top of and underneath them - in front of your colleagues'

"If I'd known I was going to end up playing Maggie Walsh, I would never, and I genuinely mean never, have given her the only intimacy scene in the entire series. At the writing stage, it seemed like a good idea. A dash of vulnerability, a slice of realism. But sitting here now, having lived through the day itself, I can say with confidence: if my past self had any foresight, she would've written Maggie into a library, a convent, or a lifelong vow of celibacy."

"Because now, thousands (hopefully millions), of people will see me having sex on screen, in episode three of The Walsh Sisters - the adaptation of Marian Keyes' books I have been working on as writer and producer for the last seven years."

Stefanie Preissner unexpectedly performs the role of Maggie Walsh and appears in the series' only on-screen intimacy scene. The intimacy choice aimed to add vulnerability and realism to the character, but performing it personally produced second thoughts. Filming required careful choreography and practical measures, including a Pilates ball, to stage believable movement and maintain comfort and safety. Personal bodily timing, including an early period, influenced scheduling and the actor's experience on set. The scene appears in episode three of The Walsh Sisters, an adaptation of Marian Keyes' novels that Preissner helped develop over seven years.

Read at Independent