My Policeman’s David Dawson describes sex scenes with Harry Styles: ‘Nothing but support’

Actor David Dawson has revealed how the sex scenes between him and co-star Harry Styles were handled in the pair’s upcoming movie, My Policeman.

The 40-year-old actor explained how both stars were made to feel comfortable in preparation for the scenes in an interview with Entertainment Weekly at the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“[Director] Michael Grandage was wonderful in that respect,” Dawson said.

“He created a space that was full of nothing but support, and brought on a wonderful intimacy coordinator, and the four of us explored what we wanted those scenes to be, together.”

The film, based on a book of the same name by Bethan Roberts, sees Dawson’s character Patrick, a young gay museum curator living in 1950s Britain, fall in love with a policeman named Tom (Harry Styles) despite his relationship with schoolteacher Marion Taylor (Emma Corrin). A tale of forbidden love ensues as Tom and Patrick’s feelings for each other develop.

‘He’s a good northern lad’

The theatre veteran added that Styles helped bring the scenes to life while ensuring that they were both comfortable. He said that the two came to an understanding that helped them trust each other during intimate scenes.

“Me and Harry promised each other we would always look out for each other during it,” Dawson added.

“I can’t emphasise the importance of an intimacy coordinator enough.

“He’s a good northern lad like myself, and we had the luxury of a three-week rehearsal process to build on that friendship and chemistry.”

Despite this, David Dawson said he had to wrestle with Styles’ level of fame, saying, due to COVID-19, his first meeting with the former boyband star was on a video call.

“The day Michael says, ‘You’re going to be meeting Harry Styles on Zoom,’ [you think], how strange is life. Very quickly you have to get rid of the musician you knew him as before,” Dawson told Entertainment Weekly.

Styles recently described My Policeman as a “devastating” watch because it’s about “wasted time”.

“I think wasted time is the most devastating thing, because it’s the only thing we can’t control. It’s the one thing we can’t have back,” he said at a press conference.

“The general themes are incredibly timeless. I think that’s why the film works so well.

“I think the themes of love and freedom and the kind of search for that is incredibly relevant, whatever time you were to set it in.”

The first trailer for the film was released on 7 September, highlighting the intimate moments the two share.

Styles previously stressed that he wanted the intimacy in the film to show that gay sex can be “tender and loving”, adding that he believed “so much of gay sex in film is two guys going at it, and it kind of removes the tenderness from it“.

Additionally, the star addressed allegations that he was “queerbaiting” by saying that his own sexuality was irrelevant, adding: “I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone. If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re choosing to have a public relationship or something.”