Amber Riley recently shared on a podcast the reason behind her decision to refuse filming a sex scene with Chord Overstreet's character Sam on the popular TV show Glee. The actress revealed that she declined a planned scene where her character Mercedes was supposed to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Sam. Riley recounted that she firmly told Glee co-creator Brad Falchuk that she would not participate in the scene, even after it was written in the script.
Initially, a full-blown sex scene was scripted, but Riley's objection led to a revised proposal from Falchuk, suggesting a more subtle approach for the scene. Despite the alternative suggestion, Riley stood her ground and refused to film any intimate scenes, citing that it would have felt awkward and out of character for Mercedes.
Mercedes' character on Glee was portrayed as a devout Christian who had expressed her intention to save herself for marriage. Riley emphasized that the sudden decision for Mercedes to engage in premarital sex would not align with the character's beliefs and the message it would send to young viewers.
Glee, a series that followed a group of high school students finding solace in a glee club, aired from 2009 to 2015. Throughout the show, Mercedes and Sam had an on-and-off relationship, eventually deciding to remain friends by the fifth season.
