Emma Stone said she asked to remove the sheet during a scene in The Favourite because the uncovered version made sense for Abigail’s dynamic with Lady Sarah. She described it as her choice—not a demand from the director—and the reporting characterizes the moment as topless, not full-frontal nudity.
What Emma Stone said happened
In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, as quoted by The Independent, Stone said she filmed a few takes with a sheet around her before asking to be naked. Olivia Colman discouraged her, and director Yorgos Lanthimos asked whether she was sure. Stone said she was: “I chose to do it. I was like, this makes sense to me.” The Independent’s November 15, 2018 report says this was her first nude scene on screen.
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Why she wanted the scene uncovered
Stone tied her decision to what Abigail’s exposure would communicate to Sarah. She said the uncovered version would give Sarah something to look at when she saw Abigail, and called the choice an “absolute” gesture toward Sarah. Her explanation was about the characters’ interaction, rather than a general statement about nudity in the film.
Was the scene in the script?
A separate Flickering Myth report, published October 9, 2018 and updated July 19, 2024, attributes its account to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter and says the topless scene was not in the original script: Stone suggested it during production. Together with her account of asking to remove the sheet, that reporting presents the moment as a choice she proposed, not a direction imposed on her.
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How the scene fits the characters
Stone plays Abigail Masham, Colman plays Queen Anne, and Rachel Weisz plays Lady Sarah Churchill. The film centers on the shifting relationships among Anne, her advisor Sarah, and Sarah’s cousin Abigail. A 2019 British Vogue profile describes Abigail and Sarah as battling to become the queen’s confidante. That rivalry helps put Stone’s reference to Sarah in context, though it does not rule out other interpretations of the scene.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What “nude scene” means here
The Independent calls it Stone’s first nude scene on screen, while its account describes the specific moment as topless. “Nude scene” is therefore the broader label used in the reporting; the available description does not establish full-frontal nudity.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Comedy, Drama, Blu-Ray
Rank #4
Rank #2
- Format: Blu-ray
- Language: English
- Region: Region B/2 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
- Number of discs: 1
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