Rebel Wilson Reveals Her Rules On Nude Scenes

Rebel Wilson may be reaching celebrity status as an actress, but the Pitch Perfect performer reveals that she wasn’t always that way and that some of her childhood shyness still lingers in some respects.

As a child, Wilson says she was so shy that her timid nature almost qualified as a genuine mental illness. In hoping to help Rebel cope with being inordinately shy, her mother dropped her off at a community acting class. Rebel may have resisted at first, but, ultimately, Wilson’s love of theater and acting overpowered her shyness.

The Brothers Grimsby Star Rebel Wilson On Where And When She’ll Do Nude Scenes

Rebel may have overcome her shy nature, but the How to Be Single actress still clings to her modesty in respect to performing in the nude on camera. Wilson says she won’t consider doing nude scenes in a comedy and that rule was a source of contention between The Brothers Grimsby actor and writer, Sacha Baron Cohen, and herself. For the film, Ms. Wilson had a very explicit clause put in her contract, stating she would not be required to go nude in any scenes. In response, The Brothers Grimsby producers brought in a body double.

“They got in another girl – this larger burlesque dancer from South Africa – to be a nude double. And they got her to do all this stuff,” recalls Rebel. “Sacha would go, ‘See, she looks good.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not doing it. I don’t care what you say.'”

That’s not to say Ms. Wilson is completely opposed to nude scenes, but, as she explains, it all depends on the type of film and the professionalism of those on the cast and crew.

“You want to know that the people [behind the camera] have a certain sensibility and decency,” explains Wilson. “And a lot of times in comedy they’re not those people.”

How To Be Single Actress Rebel Wilson On Being Single In Hollywood

Rebel Wilson describes herself as being a very independent person. In fact, she admits she may be a little too independent, when it comes to dating and trying to meet that special someone. She says that part of being a successful person means finding the right person, but, at the same time, she doesn’t want to feel as though she “needs” that person. Rebel adds that she sees the younger generation of actresses making that mistake all of the time.

“I don’t want to settle for someone if they’re not right but, because I get to do such awesome fun stuff all the time, I really want to share that with somebody,” says Ms. Wilson. “We’ll see. I’m definitely on the look out. I’m trying to put it out there, but I don’t know whether the right person is in Hollywood – you only meet actors or musicians here.”

Rebel isn’t a big fan of Hollywood, or of the lifestyles she sees parading around town, because everyone seems to be more interested in style and appearance than in intelligence. Wilson says she wants no part of people who forsake the importance of intelligence and sensibility.

“I’ve always tried to use my brain to get places,” Ms. Wilson said. “There’s so many glamorous people in Hollywood I just never want to compete with that… even the men get their skin lasered.”

Rebel Wilson’s latest on screen adventure casts her as Dawn Grobham in The Brothers Grimsby. Wilson plays girlfriend to Sacha Baron Cohen’s Nobby, who seeks to reunite with his brother Sebastian (Mark Strong). Sebastian also happens to be MI6’s most lethal assassin and, as fate would have it, he ends up needing the help of his estranged brother to save the world.

[Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]