During a severe storm in the Peak District last winter, a blue Toyota Yaris was parked in a remote location while a passionate sex scene was filmed inside. Actor Romola Garai recalls the logistical hurdles of shooting the sequence in such tight quarters with co-star Dominic Cooper. While gale-force winds battered the film crew outside and blew away lighting equipment, the actors remained inside the hatchback, using the downtime to share a long, gossipy conversation about the industry.
The in-car rendezvous serves as a pivotal moment in Adultery, a new six-part drama created by Bafta-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst. The series centers on a scandalous romance that threatens to unravel two families after personal trainer Beth, played by Garai, and GP Tom, played by Cooper, are thrown together because their teenage children are dating. Driven by an intense mutual attraction, the married pair embark on an illicit affair that raises questions about secrecy, guilt, and the potential destruction of their respective marriages.
Garai admits that she initially felt some hesitation when she picked up a script about an unfaithful wife written by a male writer. She notes that in cultural history, unfaithful female characters have often served as a projection of male insecurity. However, she found the scripts to be brilliant explorations of complex marital disappointment. She explains that Beth's dissatisfaction stems from having to suppress herself and give up her own business for her family, leaving her overwhelmed and harboring a quiet resentment.
The actor felt an immediate connection to the character, recognizing many women in her own life who are exhausted from juggling family responsibilities, financial contributions, and household duties while putting their own high-powered careers on the back burner. The illicit liaisons in the drama unfold in various unexpected locations, including kitchens, toilets, and the storeroom of a city farm.
Garai also highlights how filming sex scenes has changed significantly since the beginning of her career, praising the modern use of intimacy coordinators. She compares the structured, technical approach to working with a fight director, noting that the presence of an intimacy coordinator ensures actors feel comfortable and maintain clear lines of communication. Despite these safety measures, she acknowledges that physical intimacy on camera remains inherently strange and a bit embarrassing, making a good sense of humor and a compatible scene partner essential for releasing tension.
Reflecting on the emotional resonance of the story, Garai points out that adultery remains a deeply sensitive and hot-button topic that touches almost everyone. Whether the series prompts strong reactions at school gates or generates neighborhood gossip, she embraces the provocative nature of the project and its unflinching look at the fallout of infidelity.