How Lady Gaga Ensures Her On-Set Partners Feel Comfortable Filming Intimate Scenes

The following article contains mentions of sexual assault.

Lady Gaga slays in everything she does. She's iconic singer, songwriter, musician, actor — she can literally do just about anything! And, after her sit-down with Jake Gyllenhaal for Variety's edition of "Actors on Actors," Gaga has proven to have an even bigger heart. While many artists struggle with sustaining a music career, the "Born This Way" singer has not only created a household name for herself but also shifted the conversation to where she is now considered a prominent actor as well. 

She has appeared in major television shows and films like "American Horror Story: Hotel," "A Star is Born," and "House of Gucci," per IMDB. While actually being on the big screen is still relatively new to Gaga, she opened up to Gyllenhaal about her love for it. "I wanted to be an actress before I wanted to be a singer. And I studied for a really long time."

While the Oscar winner is known for embodying several challenging roles, there's one thing that is crucial for Lady Gaga, even while in character.

Lady Gaga asks for consent before an intimate scene

During their transparent conversation on January 26, Lady Gaga and Jake Gyllenhaal spoke in detail about behind-the-scene methods, preparing for an upcoming role, and gave a deeper insight into the mind of a creative. Lady Gaga revealed how she ensures her co-stars feel comfortable during an intimate scene. 

The actor's main priority is making sure her partners on-set are never out of place. "I ask for consent a lot, actually. I'll be like, 'Is it okay if I touch you?' When I'm in character, I don't pretend we're not filming," she told Gyllenhaal during their Variety interview. 

Her desire to make everyone feel safe perhaps stems from personal past trauma and experiences. During a 2021 episode of Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey's docuseries, "The Me You Can't See," Gaga recalled heartbreaking details about getting pregnant by a music producer who raped her at the age of 19. She opened up about having a "total psychotic break" and how it truly affected her. "For a couple years, I was not the same girl," she said (via Insider). Later, in her conversation with Gyllenhaal, Gaga remarked, "I feel like I've injected a lot of trauma into my work my whole life."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).