James Norton speaks out about ‘encouraging’ reaction to nude photo leak

Happy Valley star James Norton has spoken out about the “encouraging reaction” he received after photos of him nude on stage in his latest play A Little Life were leaked in March.

“There was one unfortunate moment where I was objectified, and the photos were taken and it was put in the tabloid press,” the 37-year-old acknowledged.

“What was incredibly encouraging and sort of heartwarming about that experience was the way the community, the theatre community and also just the wider community – people who were aware of it – really came together and said ‘this is just not appropriate at all’.

“There was very little, it felt like from my point of view, there was very little salivating around that story,” he said speaking on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg on BBC One.

“If anything it was outrage, and that was a really encouraging reaction to what was a moment of objectification.”

James was being interviewed about the play with his co-star, Bridgerton actor Luke Thompson.

The play deals with very hard-hitting topics such as suicide, self-harm and paedophilia.

Indeed there have been walkouts from audience members who found it too tough to stomach despite being told to expect “strong language, nudity, sexual violence, physical and emotional abuse, self-harm and suicide”.

At one point during the show James strips off and despite the theatre handing out stickers for camera phones and leaflets saying filming was not permitted someone managed to nab some snaps of him.

The violation led to speculation that London theatres might ban phones to prevent a similar incident in the future.

Prior to the show opening James had discussed how he was preparing for such an exposing role on Radio 4’s Today programme by working with an intimacy coordinator.

“Some people will say ‘oh I don’t need them’. But if that intimacy co-ordinator prevents that one actor from experiencing life-changing trauma then of course it justifies the other 99 people who don’t need it. I needed it on this, definitely,” he said.

He also spoke to the Telegraph about the prospect of getting naked on stage. “What makes it harder right now is that we’re rehearsing, so you’re in a very light room – it’s like being in your workplace and just getting naked, which is very weird,” he said.

“There’s still a block when it comes to male nudity, about the penis, and what it looks like, and its size and its shape – and all these things of which we as a culture are still very wary.

“We’re scared of the penis. Men, I think, we’re far more obsessed with it. I mean, women I’ve asked are like, ‘I don’t care, you know, it’s just a penis, whatever’.”