Channing Tatum opens up about the awkward and hilarious experience of filming a nude scene with Sandra Bullock in The Lost City. Find out what it was like for both stars during their action-packed collaboration.
Being a famous actor might seem glamorous, but as Channing Tatum recently revealed, filming nude scenes can be an awkward and humbling experience. Tatum and Sandra Bullock, who starred together in the 2022 action-adventure comedy The Lost City, opened up about their unforgettable moments filming a revealing scene in the movie.
The “Fever Dream” Experience
In a recent interview on First We Feast’s Hot Ones, Tatum recalled the moment he found out he would have to film a nude scene on the second day of filming. He humorously described the situation as a “fever dream,” noting how he had to introduce himself to the crew in a very unusual way.
“Second day on set!” Tatum exclaimed. “You know you have to walk onto set and you have to be like, ‘Hello everyone. My name’s Chan. I know we’ve only had really one more day, or one day to get to know each other. So, you’re going to see my d*** today. We’re going to get to know each other very well.’”
Tatum’s candid humor about the situation lightened the mood, and he admitted that filming the scene with Bullock was far from ordinary.
Sandra Bullock’s Experience with Tatum’s Behind
Bullock also shared her perspective on the memorable moment, particularly during the scene where she had to remove leeches from Tatum’s bare backside. In an interview with Stephen Colbert, she joked about getting “face to face with the landscape” as she worked to peel the leeches off.
“I had to spend some time down there, just making sure no leeches, and I had a lot to say to it,” Bullock quipped. “When you’re down there, you may as well just get to know it.”
The Leech Scene: “It Wasn’t 50 Takes, But It Was Close”
When Hot Ones host Sean Evans asked Tatum about the infamous leech scene, he jokingly responded to the rumor that it took “50 takes” due to their uncontrollable laughter. Tatum clarified that it wasn’t quite that many, but admitted, “It was, weirdly, the second day of filming… Sandy having to have a whole monologue was the weirder thing more than her having to pick leeches off my butt.”
He continued, laughing, “It’s like a fever dream to even explain any of this. It’s a hell of a day two, let me just say that.”
The “Sock” Scene and Trust Between Co-Stars
For the specific nude scene, The Lost City director Adam Nee required Tatum to be “completely naked” except for a strategically placed “sock” to protect the front area. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, both Tatum and Bullock emphasized how important it was to have trust and comfort with each other.
“You have to really like the person and feel safe with them. There was no weirdness,” Bullock said. “You’d think there would be weirdness, but because he was so chill about it, he dropped everything and I spoke to it.”
The two actors, who became friends after learning their children attended the same preschool, clearly had a strong bond off-screen, which helped make the filming experience much more comfortable.
From Preschool Friends to On-Screen Partners
The friendship between Tatum and Bullock grew outside of the film set, with Bullock previously sharing that their daughters—Everly (Tatum’s daughter) and Laila (Bullock’s daughter)—were initially not getting along but later became close friends. A year later, Tatum confirmed that the girls were inseparable, with the two wanting to hang out together all the time.
Conclusion: A Memorable Filming Experience
While filming nude scenes can be awkward for any actor, Tatum and Bullock’s openness, humor, and mutual trust made their experience on The Lost City a memorable one. From removing leeches to navigating the “sock” scene, their candidness with each other and the crew helped make it a unique, and often hilarious, part of the filming process.
