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The Shocking Reason Penn Badgley Fought To Be 'Naked' In The Final Season Of You

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The conversation surrounding Penn Badgley's on-screen nudity and sex scenes has taken a dramatic, unexpected turn in late 2024 and early 2025, particularly following the release of the final season of his hit Netflix series, You. For years, the actor, famous for playing the obsessive serial killer Joe Goldberg, had been outspoken about his discomfort with graphic intimacy on set, even requesting a significant reduction in sex scenes for the show's fourth season out of respect for his marriage. This highly publicized stance made his recent comments about the series finale all the more shocking: he actually "fought to be as naked as possible" in the final sequence. This decision was not a change of heart about on-screen intimacy but a calculated, dark, and essential move to complete the terrifying character arc of Joe Goldberg, forcing the audience to finally witness the "monster" he truly is.

This article dives deep into the contrasting decisions Penn Badgley made regarding nudity in You, exploring the personal reasons tied to his wife, Domino Kirke, and the profound, chilling narrative justification for his final, nearly-nude performance, which was designed to make his character look like a "sexual predator" finally on the verge of being exposed.

Penn Badgley: A Profile of the Actor Behind Joe Goldberg

Penn Dayton Badgley has cultivated a career defined by playing two of television's most iconic and morally complex characters: the brooding outsider Dan Humphrey in *Gossip Girl* and the charming-yet-terrifying stalker Joe Goldberg in *You*.

  • Full Name: Penn Dayton Badgley
  • Born: November 1, 1986
  • Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
  • Occupation: Actor, Producer, Musician
  • Spouse: Domino Kirke (m. 2017)
  • Children: Two sons (one stepson and one biological son)
  • Major TV Roles: Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl (2007–2012), Joe Goldberg in You (2018–2025)
  • Notable Film Roles: *John Tucker Must Die* (2006), *Easy A* (2010), *Margin Call* (2011), *Greetings from Tim Buckley* (2012)
  • Musical Career: Lead singer for the band MOTHXR.

Badgley's career trajectory shows a clear evolution from teen drama heartthrob to a nuanced performer tackling psychological thrillers. His work in the critically acclaimed film *Margin Call*, where he played a young financial analyst, also showcased his dramatic range outside of the CW universe.

The Pre-Season 5 Stance: Fidelity, Faith, and Fewer Sex Scenes

The foundation of the "naked Penn Badgley" discussion is rooted in his highly public request to the *You* production team prior to filming Season 4. In 2023, the actor went public with his desire to significantly reduce the number of intimate scenes involving his character, Joe Goldberg, citing the importance of fidelity in his marriage to musician and doula Domino Kirke.

A Request Rooted in Respect for Marriage

Badgley, who is a practicing Baháʼí, explained that his request stemmed from a deep commitment to his wife and his personal value system. He stated that he was "not interested" in Hollywood sex scenes anymore. He emphasized that fidelity in his marriage was important to him and that he felt it was a boundary he wanted to set.

The production team, which utilizes intimacy coordinators for all sex scenes, largely honored his request for *You* Season 4. This resulted in a noticeable tonal shift, with Joe Goldberg's relationships, particularly with Kate Lockwood (played by Charlotte Ritchie), being less graphically sexualized than in previous seasons. This move sparked a wide discussion in the media about the role of actors' personal boundaries in intimate scenes, especially in a post-#MeToo Hollywood where the use of intimacy coordinators has become standard practice.

The Final Act: Why Badgley Demanded to Be 'As Naked As Possible'

The starkest contrast to Badgley's previous stance came with the conclusion of the series in *You* Season 5. Despite his personal rule, the actor revealed that he actively pushed for a scene in the final sequence of the show to feature him in "as little clothing as possible," often being nearly nude in just boxer briefs, while his scene partner, Madeline Brewer (who played Bronte), remained fully clothed.

The Narrative Imperative for Nudity

Badgley’s reasoning for this dramatic reversal was purely narrative and character-driven. It was not about a personal change of heart regarding on-screen intimacy, but a final, essential piece of character analysis for the serial killer Joe Goldberg.

His motivation was chillingly clear: Joe Goldberg needed to be seen as he truly was—vulnerable, exposed, and on the terrifying precipice of being caught. Badgley stated that the character needed to be "as dangerously close to being witnessed finally as a sexual predator" as possible.

  • The Goal: To strip away the romanticized, charming facade of Joe Goldberg, forcing the audience to see him as a desperate, exposed monster.
  • The Context: The scene was designed to be tense and uncomfortable, emphasizing Joe's power and vulnerability in a high-stakes moment.
  • The Contrast: The difference in clothing between Joe (nearly nude) and Bronte (fully clothed) highlighted the power dynamic and the predatory nature of his actions.

By making this choice, Badgley intentionally threw his personal rule "out the window" for the sake of the story. He argued that the scene "needed" to be graphic and revealing for fans to truly "see" the monster that Goldberg had become. This use of male nudity as a tool for character degradation and exposure, rather than simple titillation, is a powerful and unique choice in a major television series.

From Dan Humphrey to Joe Goldberg: The Evolution of On-Screen Intimacy

The journey from Dan Humphrey to Joe Goldberg is a fascinating study in the evolution of television's approach to intimacy and the actor's relationship with it. In *Gossip Girl*, Badgley’s character was involved in typical teen drama romantic scenes, but the landscape of on-set intimacy has changed drastically since then.

The public nature of Badgley's personal boundaries—first requesting less nudity for family reasons and then demanding more for artistic reasons—has made him a central figure in the conversation about actor autonomy. His decision in Season 5 underscores a critical point often discussed by intimacy coordinators and showrunners: that sex and nudity on screen must always serve the story. In the final moments of *You*, the near-nakedness of Joe Goldberg was the ultimate visual metaphor for his moral bankruptcy and the inevitable exposure of his true self.

This final, intense sequence in *You* Season 5, where Penn Badgley appears in minimal clothing, is now cemented as one of the most talked-about moments of the series. It provides a definitive, dark conclusion to the Joe Goldberg saga, demonstrating Badgley's commitment to the character's terrifying psychological journey, even when it meant sacrificing his own comfort and previous self-imposed rules on set. The actor’s willingness to use his own body as a tool to expose the "sexual predator" within Joe Goldberg is a profound final statement on the nature of the show's anti-hero.

naked penn badgley
naked penn badgley

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