Male Nude Scenes: 18 Actors Who Went Full Frontal In Movies

The portrayal of nudity in film has long been the subject of fascination and controversy. Whether its purpose is to evoke an emotion, give insight into a character, convey certain themes, or create a sense of intimacy, even a fleeting moment of nudity becomes the focal point of a film's discourse. Yet, despite efforts to normalize on-screen nudity, the disparity between the display of bare male and female flesh remains a point of contention. 

In a medium where the male gaze has long dominated the cinematic landscape, the inclusion of mainstream male full-frontal nudity within recent decades offers a much-needed counterbalance. By centering the male body in moments of vulnerability or intimacy, filmmakers challenge the pervasive objectification of women in cinema and disrupt the power dynamics that have long defined on-screen representation.

However, the depiction of male full-frontal nudity is not without its controversies. While working toward greater inclusivity and diversity in cinema, the portrayal of male nudity continues to be subject to censorship, stigma, and cultural taboos. The following actors have challenged these conventions by embracing full-frontal nudity as a form of artistic expression, baring themselves both physically and emotionally for all to see. 

In a film about sex addiction, it's only natural to encounter some full-frontal nudity. Such was the case for Steve McQueen's "Shame," which earned itself an NC-17 rating in the U.S. for its explicit sexual content. After their prior collaboration on the 2008 historical drama "Hunger," director McQueen and star Michael Fassbender teamed up once again for this film, which required the challenge of pushing one's own vulnerability. "Shame" wastes no time letting viewers know what they're in for, with the first of many full-frontal shots of Fassbender taking place within the first few minutes of the movie.

Despite the film's raw exploration of hard-hitting themes of sexuality and addiction, the press and public reaction around the film mainly focused on the nudity. "You know, like a guy is naked, and there's a penis on camera, and it's a big deal. Women are always parading around naked in films," Fassbender observed in an interview with GQ. The discomfort within society, particularly in the U.S., regarding the portrayal of sexuality became even more apparent when many attributed Fassbender's lack of an Oscar nomination to his full-frontal nudity. Despite missing out on the coveted Oscar nomination for best actor, Fassbender took home the Volpi Cup for best actor at the Venice Film Festival for his role in the film.

Among the many male actors who have appeared fully nude for a role, Ewan McGregor may very well be the most famous for the sheer number of times he's bared it all on screen. But if you can look beyond the admired aesthetics of his physique, it's clear that in all four films featuring an exposed McGregor, his nudity has been utilized as a necessary device integral to the story or simply as a way to normalize our natural state of being.

In "Trainspotting," McGregor's nudity serves to portray the raw, vulnerable, and gritty nature of addiction. In "The Pillow Book," it goes hand in hand with the film's exploration of sensuality and themes of eroticism, identity, and artistic expression. In "Velvet Goldmine," it plays into the film's depiction of the indulgent and sexually liberated atmosphere of the glam rock scene. And in "Young Adam," it serves to underscore the film's themes of intimacy, desire, and moral ambiguity. 

"It's all about life," McGregor told The Daily Express. "We're naked at the end of the day and we're sometimes naked in the middle of the day — if we're lucky. It may seem like I'm obsessed with sex but it's actually the opposite." The actor has since distanced himself from nude scenes, as mentioned in the same Daily Express interview, stating it has to do with him getting older and the actresses staying younger.

In contrast to the more serious or sexualized depictions of male full-frontal nudity, the 2008 romantic comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" played up the exposure for laughs. In the film's opening scene, Peter (Jason Segel) is unexpectedly dumped by his TV star girlfriend Sarah (Kristen Bell) post-shower. In the shock of the moment, Peter drops his towel and exposes himself to Sarah and the audience. "There was a creative idea behind it, it wasn't just for shock value. I wanted it to be the most humiliating breakup of all time," Segel explained to Vulture.

Segel, who wrote the scene himself, worked with director Nicholas Stoller to get it just right, which required multiple takes to test how much to show and for how long. That left Segel naked on set for lengthy periods of time. "I had no idea what the audience would put up with," Stoller shared with Entertainment Weekly. "We did test screenings where there was more of it and people just didn't want it. We discovered that less is more when you're shooting wiener." In the broader context of male nudity in cinema, this instance of full-frontal exposure serves as a refreshing palate cleanser.

The film adaptation of James Fey's controversial memoir "A Million Little Pieces" stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in his most vulnerable role yet. In the opening scene, Taylor-Johnson as James appears full-frontal in a drug-induced dance sequence that ends with him falling out of a window. 

"I wanted the audience to know, very quickly, exactly who he was, without repeating imagery we've seen before," writer-director Sam Taylor-Johnson explained to Backstage. "I said, 'You're a broken human being, and your behavior has to be so raw and without any boundaries or sense of self.' ... Of course, when we shot it, it's like, 'Oh, god.'" The scene was shot on the first day of filming, making the experience all the more bracing.

Any sense of discomfort on the part of the audience is intentional. As the movie details James' experiences with addiction and rehabilitation, nudity serves to portray the harsh realities and physical degradation that often accompany substance abuse.

For everyone who was disappointed by the imbalance in nudity between Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his mistress Jean (Florence Pugh) in the infamous "Oppenheimer" love scene that caused real-life relationship riffs and an embarrassing moment with parents (as seen by the internet's response), then it's time to revisit the movie that put Murphy on the map back in 2002. 

In "28 Days Later," a post-apocalyptic horror film widely credited with revitalizing the zombie genre, Murphy's character Jim is shown naked after waking up in the hospital bed, underscoring his vulnerability and disorientation in the wake of the catastrophic events that have occurred. He is literally and metaphorically stripped bare, forced to confront the chaos and violence surrounding him without any semblance of protection or security.

Murphy putting it all out there so early in his career proved he was willing to go all the way for his roles whenever necessary. In that case, we'll respect Murphy's decision to not perform another scene of full-frontal nudity for his character in "Oppenheimer."

In the 2008 biographical prison film "Bronson," loosely based on the life of the British criminal Charles Bronson, Tom Hardy had only five weeks to prepare physically and mentally for the role. "It was a race against the clock: We didn't have any time to waste, so I started eating and my arse very quickly got very fat," Hardy said in an interview with Ask Men. In addition to getting the right physique, Hardy also had to prepare for the full-frontal nudity required — an aspect of the film that turned away director Nicolas Winding Refn's first two choices, Jason Statham and Guy Pearce. 

"Tom is a fearless actor. And he's the kind of actor that if he trusts you, he'll give you his heart and you can run with that." Refn told IndieWire. "And he's willing to take off his clothes and put himself in black shoe polish. That takes a lot to do that and he did, because he's a very, very unique talent."

While there are multiple instances of Hardy appearing nude in the film, perhaps the most recognized scene comes at the end of the film when his character Bronson holds the prison art teacher hostage. In the scene, Bronson strips down naked and paints his whole body black. Hardy's portrayal is unflinchingly physical, and the nudity lays bare the character's primal essence. It underscores his complete disregard for authority and his willingness to assert dominance through any means necessary.

Starring in two very different back-to-back films, "Bad Lieutenant" and "The Piano," Harvey Keitel applied his intense and fearless approach to acting in a new, more vulnerable way by appearing fully nude in both. In each film, Keitel's nudity was not merely a gratuitous display but a powerful story device that pushed the boundaries of mainstream filmmaking. "I never do naked scenes," Keitel declared to The Washington Post. "An actor does not do nude scenes. I told a story, and it's my obligation to tell that story as honestly and as deeply as my ability will allow me."

One of Keitel's most memorable moments in "Bad Lieutenant" occurs when Keitel's character, a corrupt and morally bankrupt NYPD detective referred to as "the Lieutenant," is alone in his apartment. The Lieutenant is shown fully nude in this scene, engaging in various self-destructive behaviors such as drinking, drug use, and sexual acts. Another occurs during a moment of intense emotional distress, as the Lieutenant grapples with his inner demons and the consequences of his actions. 

In "The Piano," Keitel's character, George Baines, is a rugged frontiersman who trades Ada McGrath's (Holly Hunter) prized piano in exchange for her playing lessons and, inherently, her company. The nudity in the film serves a different purpose compared to "Bad Lieutenant." It's more about vulnerability, intimacy, and power dynamics rather than degradation or corruption.

While it's hard to rank the many disturbing moments in Ari Aster's horror film "Midsommar," the sex scene involving Jack Reynor's character Christian may very well take the cake. In the scene, Christian appears fully naked after being drugged and partakes in a sexual encounter with Maja (Isabelle Grill) while a group of female village elders watch. It's one of the few mainstream films that visibly portrays erect genitalia.

Although Reynor admitted to Business Insider that "the film is really heavy and the themes are difficult," he knew the significance of shooting such a challenging scene that would be influential for the horror genre as a whole, which has depicted women in similar degrading situations time and time again. "It was an opportunity to be part of something that flipped that on its head, and I really wanted to engage with the experience of it by advocating for as much full-frontal nudity as possible," Reynor explained to The Hollywood Reporter. Reynor's unforgettable performance lingers in the mind, particularly due to the unsettling imagery that will forever remain seared in the memory of audiences.

Shedding his Disney Channel and "Transformers" reputation, Shia LaBeouf dove right into more adult content by appearing fully nude in the Icelandic band Sigur Rós' music video for the song "Fjögur Píanó." Soon after, he embraced full-frontal nudity for the first time in a film, in Lars von Trier's highly controversial and provocative "Nymphomaniac." LaBeouf plays Jerôme, a confident, charismatic young man who becomes entangled in the life of Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac. Jerôme's nudity is prominently featured in several scenes, often during intimate moments with Joe. Disturbingly, LaBeouf's audition tape was just as unconventional as the film itself, with LaBeouf admitting that he sent the director tapes of him and his then-girlfriend having sex in order to secure the role.

In 2020, LaBeouf appeared completely naked once again in the film "Pieces of a Woman." The scene occurs during a deeply intimate and emotionally charged moment between his character, Sean, and Martha (Vanessa Kirby) as they navigate the complexities of grief and loss following the tragic death of their newborn child. Netflix initially included LaBeouf in their Oscar campaign but removed him from their "For Your Consideration" website after assault allegations were made against him by former girlfriend FKA Twigs in late 2020.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues or may be the victim of domestic abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.