Martin Freeman reacts to Jenna Ortega sex scene backlash as Miller’s Girl hits Netflix

With Miller’s Girl racing to fourth place on the Netflix chart, lead star Martin Freeman has responded to the backlash over a sex scene involving co-star Jenna Ortega. 

After a minor delay, Miller’s Girl has finally landed on Netflix following its theatrical release earlier this year. Though it’s far from the best movie of 2024, it certainly has people talking, with many dubbing the age gap between Freeman, 52, and Ortega, 21, as “creepy.”

The plot itself centers on a complex dynamic between creative writing professor Jonathan Miller (Freeman) and 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet (Ortega). Backlash to the film intensified when it arrived in cinemas due to an imagined sex scene involving both characters. 

As Miller reads an erotic short story written by Ortega’s character, viewers see the scene play out as it does in his imagination, starting off with the pair kissing. He then stands over her and orders her to read pages from a book — as she turns around, he bends her over the bed and touches her body. 

In a conversation with The Times, Freeman was asked about the age gap controversy, but he stated that “it’s grown-up and nuanced.” The Marvel star went on to point out, “It’s not saying, ‘Isn’t this great,’” and that sometimes films or shows about difficult topics can be impacted by association.  

“And that’s a shame,” Freeman added. “Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?”

As for Ortega, Miller’s Girl director Jade Bartlett said the Wednesday star “scared the sh*t” out of her when she got into character.

“She scared the s**t out of me. She definitely went to a place with Cairo that… it’s even tricky to explain,” she told What To Watch.

“Cairo thinks she is such an adult, but she’s not. She’s an isolated young woman who is a ghost in her house. Her entire education about romance is from 18th and 19th-century literature and old movies, which are inherently problematic, right? But she thinks she is such a grownup.”

Miller’s Girl is streaming on Netflix now. For more, check out all of the best new movies heading to streaming this month.