​Skins Actor April Pearson Was Sacked From Film Role For Refusing Nude Scene

Actor April Pearson - who is best known for her turn as Michelle in Skins - has revealed she was once sacked 'on the spot' from a film role after refusing to shoot a nude scene.

Pearson, 32, shared a video on TikTok, opening up about a previous job on an unspecified 'feature film'.

Speaking to the camera, Pearson explained: "I've never talked publicly about this, but I was once fired on the spot during a sex scene from a feature film because I wouldn't renege on my nudity clause, which was that I wouldn't get my breasts out, for the scene.

"And the director decided that the scene needed that level of nudity."

Reflecting on her experience, she said she believes it is something that is a 'real problem' within film and TV.

Instagram/April Pearson

Pearson continued: "It's a funny one because I, to this day, think 'Did I do the right thing? Would my career be better off now?' But I think it's interesting because they didn't shut production down, they just gave my part to a supporting artist who was there on the day, who was happy to be completely nude for the scene.

"And I think that's a real problem that we have in the industry - that that scene was more about a female body than it was about a female character."

Thanking Amazon Prime Video for 'promoting conversations' like hers, she also added in the caption: "I am confident that change is happening."

Bristol-born Pearson was known for starring as Michelle Richardson in E4's teen drama Skins, which she appeared in between 2007 and 2008.

E4

She has also featured in a number of horror and independent films, and more recently has been fronting a podcast called Are You Michelle From Skins?, in which she interviews fellow celebrities - including former co-stars, Antony Costa from Blue, Dot Cottan from Line of Duty (Craig Parkinson), Fred and George Weasley from Harry Potter (Oliver and James Phelps) and Aston Merrygold from JLS.

A bio for the series reads: "Are you Michelle from Skins?, created by April Pearson, began on IGTV Live as a series talking to actors and creatives about what it's like being known for a particular time in their lives.

"As April herself has first-hand experience being known as the 'shaggable' girlfriend of Tony Stonem in E4's iconic series Skins, she found that this shared reality meant her guests could be frank, raw and vulnerable during the interview."

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Celebrity

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman