Hollywood heartthrob Henry Cavill has sparked fresh debate on X-rated scenes in movies, calling them “0verus*d”.

Best known for The Witcher and Man of Steel, Cavill shared his dislike for the growing trend of intimate scenes in modern cinema.

On the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Argylle director Matthew Vaughn, Cavill openly expressed his discomfort with these scenes, not only in films he’s worked on but across the industry.

“I don’t understand them. I’m not a fan,” he said, echoing Vaughn’s view.

Vaughn questioned the purpose of these scenes, and Cavill agreed, saying, “I think sometimes they’re 0verus*d these days.”

While Cavill admitted that some intimate scenes are “beneficial” to a story, he believes many are included without any clear purpose.

He pointed to his early career, particularly his role in The Tudors, which involved explicit scenes.

Cavill remembered these intimate moments as awkward, describing a pattern of “Oh, naked person, great” scenes that felt unnecessary.

He explained, “It’s when you’re asking, ‘Is this really needed, or is it just people with less clothing on?’”

He also added, “That’s when you start to get more uncomfortable, and you’re thinking, ‘There’s not a performance here, there’s not a piece which is going to carry through to the rest of the movie.’”

Cavill’s stance has resonated online, with mixed reactions on the need for sex scenes in today’s media.

The discussion gained traction on social media, especially after You star Penn Badgley requested a major reduction in intimate scenes for the Netflix show’s fourth season.

This sentiment is shared by many younger viewers; a 2022 UCLA study found that nearly half of those aged 13 to 24 prefer less explicit content, suggesting a shift in attitudes among millennials and Gen Z.

Henry Cavill is next set to star in Highlander, a reboot of the classic 1980s fantasy movie of the same name.