'Proud' actress justifies filming real-life sex scenes for contentious movie

Critics didn't react favorably to the graphic film, labeling it as both 'annoying' and 'exceedingly boring'

American actress Margo Stilley made her feature film debut in 2004, which remains the most sexually explicit mainstream film ever produced in the UK.

Even though it continues to be controversial over two decades later, the star expressed that she’s ‘proud’ of her work.

The Californian, who recently appeared in the English-language crime thriller The Host, portrayed Lisa in 9 Songs - a film that includes real sexual intercourse, an oral sex scene, and an ejaculation scene.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom, 9 Songs follows exchange student Lisa and scientist Matt (played by Kieran O’Brien), who meet at the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and begin a relationship.

The romantic drama may have been featured at the Cannes Film Festival, but it hasn’t become a classic, with a low 23 percent score on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and numerous reviews describing it as merely a ‘tedious watch’.

Despite its poor ratings and its reputation for being ‘exceedingly boring’ and even ‘actively annoying’ according to film critics, Stilley, 42, has defended the indie, arthouse film's explicit sex scenes.

In a 2008 interview with the Irish Examiner, the star stated she still viewed her first role fondly, despite the fact that viewers were reportedly ‘really angry’ with her.

"When I did press conferences, people would shout abuse at me,” she claimed.

Stilley recounted being called a 'wh**e' and a 'sl*t' due to the sex scenes, adding: "People ask me if I felt that [director] Michael Winterbottom took advantage of me because I hadn't acted before, but they forget that I developed the character."

When questioned about people's reactions, Stilley emphasized that the movie was 'about love and sex', saying: "It wasn't porn. I mean, I had sex with my boyfriend last night and that wasn't porn."

9 Songs remains a divisive film, with some viewers reacting negatively to the unsimulated sex scenes (StudioCanal UK)

"It was just hot sex! 9 Songs was a genuine film about love and sex, and I wanted to be part of it, and I am proud of it."

Although 9 Songs brought her significant attention, Stilley assured that she doesn't feel 'typecast' because of it.

"I can honestly say it hasn't impacted my career," she said. "I'm not only considered for roles as women who frequently have sex."

In a conversation with LADbible last May, the actress revealed that her name was removed from the credits, but it wasn't intentional.

"I said, ‘oh just list me as Lisa’ at the Cannes screenings which were not public, then the press got hold of it and The News of the World set up a hotline for anyone with information on who I was,” Stilley recalled.

"I then realized I was causing quite a commotion," the actress added, joking that her decision was an accidental stroke of 'marketing genius.'

Before pursuing an acting career, Stilley worked as a model after leaving her home in North Carolina and traveling to Milan.

She eventually ended up in London, where she secured a role in an Israeli advertisement through a modeling connection.

Over the years, the producer has been involved in various film and TV projects, including the ITV adaptation of Marple: Murder Is Easy, the popular comedy How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, and Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon’s The Trip.