Hollywood body double reveals what it’s really like filming sex scenes: “I’m getting naked for Jason Statham—could be worse”
Laura Grady has stood in for stars like Helena Bonham Carter and Marisa Tomei in films like ‘Fight Club’, ‘Crank’ and ‘Coyote Ugly’.
Not every steamy scene you see in a Hollywood film features the actual A-list star. Whether due to modesty, scheduling conflicts, or comfort levels, many productions turn to body doubles, especially when it comes to sex scenes or nudity.
One of the industry’s most experienced doubles is Laura Grady, who has appeared in a surprising number of major films, even if you’ve never seen her face. Her body, however, has stood in for stars in ‘Fight Club’, ‘Crank’, and ‘Coyote Ugly’, among many others.
A career behind the stars
Grady, a trained dancer, model, and actress, has filled in for the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Marisa Tomei, Robin Wright, Patricia Arquette, and more. Her work usually involves intimate or nude scenes and is always done with the actress’s consent.
“It’s not that they don’t have amazing bodies, they all do,” Grady told Vulture. “But sometimes they don’t have time for a second-unit shoot or just don’t feel like doing it.”
Her physical discipline, thanks to ballet and zumba, has kept her in demand. She attributes her success to professionalism, a natural physique, and being easy to work with on sensitive sets.
Grady’s most iconic scenes
Grady’s resume includes:
- ‘Fight Club’ (1999): Her favorite job, standing in for Helena Bonham Carter in some of the film’s most intense bedroom scenes. “There was even a Brad Pitt double,” she recalled. “We spent two weeks with David Fincher on a green screen set recreating those scenes.”
- ‘Crank’ (2006): A wild outdoor sex scene where she doubled for Amy Smart, opposite Jason Statham. Grady remembers it fondly:“I thought, today’s not a bad day. I’m getting naked for Jason Statham. I’ll be fine.”
- ‘Coyote Ugly’: She stepped in for Piper Perabo during a sex scene with Adam Garcia.
- ‘Supernova’: Substituting Robin Tunney for a scene with Lou Diamond Phillips.
- ‘EuroTrip’ and ‘State of Play’: Working as a double for Jessica Boehrs and Robin Wright, respectively.
- ‘Human Nature’: Doubling for Patricia Arquette.
She also recalled working on ‘The Pallbearer’, where she shot a nude scene for Marisa Tomei involving only a bit of shower steam and some playful lingerie testing. “She was the best lady of all time,” Grady said.
Behind the scenes, but never forgotten
Despite being in some of Hollywood’s most iconic films, Grady said she rarely interacted with the stars during the actual scenes:
“Brad and Helena would come and go, but they were never in my scenes. It was just the doubles doing our thing, and then they’d shoot theirs separately.”
Even if she’s not a household name, her impact is quietly legendary. And when your job includes filming sex scenes with Jason Statham and Brad Pitt’s stand-in, it’s safe to say Laura Grady’s career has been anything but boring.
Where to stream:
- ‘Crank’ – Available on Prime Video.
- ‘Fight Club’ – Available on Hulu.
- ‘Coyote Ugly’ – Available on Hulu.
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