Jameela Jamil reveals why she dropped out of ‘You’ audition with Netflix

Actor and campaigner had intended to audition for a role in the hit Netflix series starring Penn Badgley

Jameela Jamil has explained why she decided against auditioning for a coveted role in the hit drama series You.

The actor, know for her roles in shows including NBC’s fantasy comedy series The Good Place, initially planned on trying for a part opposite lead star Penn Badgley.

However, she has now revealed that it was the prospect of doing sex scenes that put her off the audition.

During an interview on the Podcrushed podcast, which is hosted by Badgley, Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari, the 37-year-old actor said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been someone who would have enjoyed objectifying myself, personally.

“But that’s also because I have so much deep, like, childhood sexual trauma stuff. So I think that was never in the cards for me.”

She added: “You know, I still wear the… like, the little skirt or the busty top, but like, occasionally. But generally, I feel quite protective of myself in that way. Like, I don’t do sex scenes.”

Speaking of her audition for You, Jamil said: “I was supposed to audition for the most recent season of your show.

“My character was supposed to be quite sexy, and I pulled out of the audition, because I am so shy about anything sexy that I can’t.

She added: “And then you f***ing came out and was like, ‘yeah, I’m not doing sex scenes anymore’. And I was like, I didn’t even know that was a boundary that we could draw. But then I was like, I should have gone and done the f***ing show.”

Jamil was referring to the moment when Badgely requested a significant reduction in the number of “intimate scenes” in the latest season of You.

(Getty Images for Billboard)

“Fidelity, in every relationship, and especially my marriage, is important to me,” Badgley said.

In another interview with Variety, Badgely added: “It’s not a place where I’ve blurred lines.

“There’s almost nothing I could say with more consecration.

“That aspect of Hollywood has always been very disturbing to me – and that aspect of the job, that mercurial boundary – has always been something that I actually don’t want to play with at all.”

You is available to stream now on Netflix.