Gillian Anderson reveals sex secrets she learned in her 50s

Gillian Anderson who stars as the sex therapist Dr. Jean Milburn in Netflix's beloved series Sex Education, has revealed how her character has increased her sexual knowledge. 

In an interview with the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast, Bookshelfie, Gillian Anderson was invited to talk about the books by women authors that have shaped her life.

The Sex Education star also delighted listeners as she opened up about the sexual education she received while on the set of the Netflix, hit show Sex Education, and how she has managed to create her own sex scenes since the introduction of intimacy coordinators on set.

Gillian was asked what she had learned about sex from playing Dr. Jean Milburn. "I don't have much to learn in the sexual arena," joked Gillian as she spoke to the podcast host. 

She then opened up about her key takeaways when filming Sex Education, and admitted that through the show, she learned a lot about gay sex.

"There was certainly some activities, particularly around gay sex that I’d never heard of before. I felt like even though my character obviously is very open, sometimes too open, incredibly liberal, and sexually free, and I feel like I am I don't feel like I, I mean I probably do, but, there’s nothing that usually shocks me. But even in watching the show and even though I had read the episodes, in watching the show I remember gasping a few times. There were moments where I thought ‘can we say that? Really?’ 

Gillian then agreed with the host as she added, "God bless Netflix."

Speaking about her sex scenes in the Netflix show Gillian said that intimacy coordinators have improved the way explicit scenes are made. 

"There are today, post #MeToo and Times Up there are intimacy professionals who come onto sets or should come onto sets to be present so that everyone feels like what they are talking about, what they are about to do, what they are about to engage in, is what they're comfortable with. And they know that they feel protected or if anything feels uncomfortable, they can put their hand up and say," she said.

The actor then spoke about another experience she had on The Great and revealed that she was wary that coordinators would restrict their acting. 

"I was working on a show called The Great and my character seduces the husband of my daughter, and we had an intimacy specialist there, and I thought what she was going to be saying to us was kind of putting a straight jacket on in terms what we could and couldn't do, as what would be appropriate or uncomfortable, but she was suggesting things that were so much raunchier than what I had imagined for the scene!" said Gillian.

The actor also revealed that she is creating a new book based on Nancy Friday’s My Secret Garden: Women’s Sexual Fantasies, and is asking women to send her their sexual fantasies. Go on Gillian!