Ruth Wilson's unsettling departure from "The Affair" over nude scenes

"The Affair," a Showtime series that started in 2014 and spanned five seasons, revolves around an affair between a married man and a married woman grappling with the loss of a child. Ruth Wilson, who portrayed the lead female character, exited the show unexpectedly before its final season. Although she did not disclose her reasons for leaving, citing a non-disclosure agreement with the producers, her departure raised questions.

"It was before #MeToo and before Harvey Weinstein — and yet my instincts were very clear and strong about what I felt was wrong, about what was going on, and what I didn't feel safe about," she mentioned in an interview with "Stylist."

In 2020, "The Hollywood Reporter" released a report from discussions with "The Affair" crew members. It was revealed that actors, particularly Ruth Wilson, were frequently pressured into filming explicit scenes in a negligee that were not initially in the script and seemed unjustified.

In defense, Sarah Treem, the show's creator and reportedly the most challenging person to work with the production, asserted that all scenes were shot with the actors' dignity and comfort in mind. She also highlighted that in the rape scene mentioned, Wilson was not required to undress, thanks to the use of a body double.