{"id":1452529,"date":"2025-10-02T15:14:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T14:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/?p=1452529"},"modified":"2025-10-03T06:35:56","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T05:35:56","slug":"pillion-alexander-skarsgard-says-past-experiences-with-men-and-women-wasnt-relevant-to-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/culture\/pillion-alexander-skarsgard-says-past-experiences-with-men-and-women-wasnt-relevant-to-role\/","title":{"rendered":"Pillion: Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd says past experiences ‘with men and women’ wasn’t relevant to role"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd has revealed that his past experiences with both ‘men and women’ had no relevance on his performance in the gay BDSM film, Pillion<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The film, directed by Harry Lighton in his feature debut, stars the True Blood<\/em> icon as Ray, the handsome leader of a gay motorbike club who becomes the dom to Colin (Henry Melling), a reserved \u201cwallflower letting life pass him by\u201d.<\/p>\n

When discussing his role at the Zurich Film Festival,<\/a> Skarsg\u00e5rd emphasised that his personal experiences with both men and women were not relevant to his performance: \u201cI found that in this case, it\u2019s not really relevant what my background is.<\/p>\n

“I mean, I do have a kid, but what I\u2019ve done in the past, who I\u2019ve been with, men, women\u2026 To me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadn\u2019t seen portrayed this way \u2013 with so much authenticity.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy experience of watching this on screen was through [Al Pacino starrer] Cruising<\/em>, where it\u2019s this dark underbelly of New York City and it\u2019s dangerous, murderous and scary. Leather gays are scary.\u201d<\/p>\n

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While Skarsg\u00e5rd shared that he\u2019s \u201cno Ray\u201d, he revealed that he has \u201ca little bit of experience from that world, and I know that\u2019s not a truthful depiction\u201d.<\/p>\n

The official synopsis for Pillion<\/em> is as follows: \u201cRay uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut as Colin steps deeper into Ray\u2019s world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether the life of a 24\/7 submissive is for him. Has he found his calling, or simply swapped one form of suffocation for another?\u201d<\/p>\n

In the first trailer, released on 1 October, Colin and Ray\u2019s sub-dom dynamic is on full display: Ray refuses to let Colin sit beside him at dinner, saving the seat instead for his Rottweiler, Colin squeals in pain\/pleasure during a bonkers wrestling match, and he\u2019s even tasked with running errands for Ray.<\/p>\n

The trailer culminates with Ray instructing Colin to buy a butt plug because he\u2019s \u201ctoo tight\u201d, prompting Colin to hilariously stammer: \u201cYeah, erm\u2026 lovely! That sounds like a plan\u2026 Bye then.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Pillion<\/em>, based on the novel Box Hill<\/em> by Adam Mars-Jones, also stars Douglas Hodge as Pete, Lesley Sharp as Peggy, Anthony Welsh as Darren and Scissor Sisters star Jake Shears as Kevin, another sub.<\/p>\n

Following its premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where it won Best Screenplay and the Palm Dog, the romantic dramedy has received universal critical acclaim for Lighton\u2019s direction and the performances of Skarsg\u00e5rd and Melling, as well as its unexpectedly heartfelt love story.<\/p>\n

Pillion<\/em> will be released in the UK on 28 November \u2013 watch the trailer below.<\/p>\n