Ruth Wilson left The Affair after complaining of a hostile work environment and due to "ongoing frustrations with the nudity required of her," according to a new report.
The actress in 2018 mysteriously announced her departure from the Showtime series, explaining that she "did want to leave, but I'm not allowed to talk about why." Now, a new report in The Hollywood Reporter sheds light on what happened.
Wilson, according to the report, raised concerns about the "frequency and nature" of nude scenes required of her, feeling she was being pressured into performing these scenes by showrunner Sarah Treem. The show's handling of nude scenes was also an issue with the cast and crew, sources said, such as the fact that "there sometimes were people there who didn't need to be." Treem told the Reporter she "did everything I could think of to make [Wilson] feel comfortable with these scenes."
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Wilson reportedly negotiated her exit after The Affair director and executive producer Jeffrey Reiner spoke with Lena Dunham and, using vulgar language, asked if she could persuade Wilson into doing certain nude scenes, proceeding to "critique and crudely evaluate the bodies of all the women on his show" and show a graphic picture of The Affair actress Maura Tierney and a nude actor on set. A longtime Reiner associate told the Reporter the conversation never "pause[d] in discomfort," describing a blind item description of it as a "clickbait smear against a trusted colleague."
Wilson was reportedly uncomfortable continuing to work with Reiner after this incident, and she reportedly complained to Showtime of a hostile work environment. Wilson ultimately had her character written out in The Affair's fourth season, reportedly returning only under the condition that Treem wouldn't be allowed on set with her. She reportedly received a "substantial payment" and signed a nondisclosure agreement. Reiner left the show after season three.
Read the full report at The Hollywood Reporter.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect comments from a Reiner associate.
