Anna Friel would have "opposed" her 'Deep Water' sex scene if it was too "salacious".
Anna Friel
The 43-year-old actress only has one steamy scene in the new ITV drama - in which she portrays mother-of-three Lisa Kallisto - but she wouldn't have acted out the segment if she had deemed it unjustified.
Speaking to Red, Anna said: "The most important thing about the sex scene is that it wasn't salacious or gratuitous in any way, because I would have been very much opposed to that.
"But it was very much part of the story, and a lot of discussion went into it. That's the only sex scene I have - then the baton is handed on."
The six-part series has been adapted from Paula Daly's Windermere novel series.
BAFTA-nominated writer Anna Symon confirmed the sex in the series is limited but important to the women's stories.
She said: "In terms of screen time, there isn't that much sex in the show at all.
"No more than 'Poldark', but because it's women's perspectives on sex and the repercussions of sex that happens in the show makes such large part of the story.
"It's looking at those issues and themes and it all comes from a position of character and there's no sex in there that isn't very important to the story."
The series, which also features Sinéad Keenan and Rosalind Eleazar, follows the lives of complex women with dark secrets and big struggles.
Sinéad explained: "You have no idea what is going on behind closed doors, Deep Water takes a peek behind those closed doors.
"Happy families may not be so happy, they rarely are. The ones who you think have a perfect life, you can almost guarantee they don't, everyone is struggling to some extent."
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