'Masters of Sex' Michael Sheen Says Nude Women Have No Effect on Him Now
Are you ready to talk about sex, on TV?
The subject of sex grabs everyone's attention and Showtime is ready to cash upon it in a big way. "Masters of Sex," is the upcoming American television drama series, which explores the early relationship of groundbreaking sex researchers Virginia Johnson and William Masters.
It is created by Michelle Ashford and based on Thomas Maier's biography Masters of Sex: "The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson." The new series explores how William Masters (played by Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), two pioneering researchers of human sexuality, came to undertake their extraordinary research on the science of sexuality. The first season consists of 12 episodes.
Johnson, who died last week at age 88, met Masters when she was a researcher for him at Washington University in St. Louis in the 1950s. Masters, who died in 2001, was a physician at the university and had begun researching sex in 1954.
"Masters of Sex" creator Michelle Ashford said she was eager to explore the couple's own relationship. They got married in 1971 and divorced after 20 years. They were best known for their 1966 book "Human Sexual Response."
"Their story just needed to be told. No one really knew what they did, but they were instrumental in the historical movement of not only how we viewed sex but how we viewed men, women and society," Ashfrod said at a Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.
The show features vivid scenes of sex, in the backdrop of both medical and normal setting.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" actor Michael Sheen said he is happy that the show will be telecasted on cable network Showtime gave them more freedom to film the show. The 44-year old actor said he is intrigued by the author's complex character.
"He also (Masters) is sort of a mystery to himself. He has so many locked rooms inside himself and he has to tread very carefully to make sure he controls his environment," Sheen said.
However the actor said he was surprised of him how he got use to seeing so many naked women so fast without actually affecting him. "After a while of seeing so many people so naked in front of you, you inevitably just get used to it," says Michael Sheen, who plays the late, famed physician William Masters.
"I never thought I would get used to having a naked woman in front of me ... and I would almost not notice they were there."
The actor also discussed how he became more "open" after the filming of series. "I became far more open about that, which is probably an indication of the show itself. The more you think you're watching a show about sex, the more (it's) ultimately about the challenges of connecting with a human being, of being intimate."
The series also stars Teddy Sears as Dr. Austin Langham, best known for his roles on "One Life to Live" and the TNT series "Raising the Bar."
"Mean Girls" star Lizzy Caplan who plays Johnson in the series says sex is a daily part of your life, whether you are having it or not having it."
"Virginia Johnson looks like every other woman around her. It's what's inside of her that's different. To me the challenge was to not ever judge her decisions but to see why she was so capable of compartmentalizing so many things in her life."
asters of Sex premieres on Sunday (September 29) at 10pm ET/PT on Showtime - Mark your calendars!