Scarlett Johansson Says 'Fake Orgasm' In Movie 'Her' Caused Joaquin Phoenix To Walk Off Set

Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has reflected on her verbal sex scene in "Her."

The 2013 movie starred the actress as artificially intelligent assistant Samantha who became intimate with the film protagonist Theodore portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix.

In the film, the pair had an unconventional sex scene due to Johansson's character only existing virtually. Johansson has now spoken about the scene, saying it was "gross" to hear herself fake an orgasm.

For their roles in the film, Johansson and Phoenix received critical praise. "Her" subsequently landed multiple award nods and won Best Original Screenplay at the 86th Academy Awards.

Read on to learn more.

In a recent episode of the "Armchair Expert" podcast, Johansson discussed the verbal sex scene she filmed in the movie "Her." The actress told podcast hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman that she was irritated after listening to her voice faking an orgasm.

"You definitely don't want to hear what you sound like having an orgasm. You definitely don't want to hear what you sound like having a fake orgasm — ew," she said, per Insider. "It's so gross," she continued. "It was so bizarre."

Directed by Spike Jonze, "Her" is a science-fiction romantic drama film that stars protagonist Theodore played by Phoenix and Johansson as an artificially intelligent assistant in his new operating system named Samantha.

In the movie, Theodore befriends Samantha and falls in love with her. The pair then became intimate through a verbal sexual act where Samantha pretended to be human. Johansson's character was portrayed as a voice on the screen, which was seen fading to black during the verbal sex scene.

Elsewhere on the podcast, Johansson shared more details on how Jonze shot the verbal sex scene. The actress shared that Phoenix first filmed his part separately. Subsequently, the pair shot the scene together while consciously trying to time their sex sounds in line with the script.

The actress also shared that Phoenix also had his own reservations about the scene, saying that the actor had to leave the room for a bit when it got a bit too intense for him. "We tried to get through one take, and he was, like, losing it," she said. "He left the studio. He needed a break."

Alongside Johansson and Phoenix, "Her" also featured a talented cast in supporting roles. Amy Adams starred as Amy, Rooney Mara as Catherine Klausen, and Chris Pratt as Paul. Olivia Wilde, Matt Letscher, Luka Jones, and Bill Hader also appeared in the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJTU48_yghs

Filming for "Her" took place across Los Angeles and Shanghai in 2012. On October 12, 2013, the movie premiered at the New York Film Festival. It then had a limited release on December 18, 2013, before a wider release in the United States and Canada on January 10, 2014.

Phoenix and Johansson gained critical praise for their acting in "Her," as well as Jonze's being lauded for his work as the film's director. At the box office, "Her" grossed over $48 million worldwide against a production budget of $23 million.

"Her" also garnered five nominations at the 86th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and took home the prize for Best Original Screenplay. Jonze also landed awards for his screenplay at several renowned movie award ceremonies, including the 71st Golden Globe Awards.

Since her appearance in "Her," Johannsson has featured in numerous other lead roles, including her groundbreaking role in "Marriage Story," playing the Marvel character Black Widow across the "MCU" franchise and in a stand-alone film named after the superhero.

The actress will return to the big screen in West Anderson's comedy-drama film "Asteroid City," which is currently in its post-production stages. She will also appear in another drama film, "My Mother's Wedding," directed by Kristin Scott Thomas.

In the meantime, Phoenix will star in the upcoming "Joker" sequel "Folie à Deux," a musical take on "Batman's" nemesis for which the actor landed an Oscar. The movie, directed by Todd Phillips, will also star award-winning actress Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, the love interest of the Joker. Brendan Gleeson, Zazie Beetz, and Catherine Keener will also appear in the project.