An actress who appeared in a film directed by Noel Clarke described feeling “shell-shocked” when he instructed her to “bend over further” during a scene where she was partially nude, the High Court was told.
The actress, identified as Mila, provided testimony in Clarke’s legal case against Guardian News and Media (GNM).
Mila expressed discomfort about filming the nude scene but felt compelled to do so for the job.
In her statement, she recalled Noel repeatedly urging her to bend over more, despite her obvious discomfort.
She stated: “Noel was telling me to bend over, saying things like ‘bend over further, come on,’ and ‘do it properly’.
“I was clearly very uncomfortable and resistant, but I followed the instructions until I was bent over completely with my backside in the air.”
Mila described feeling “hugely embarrassed, blindsided, and shell-shocked” by the filming experience.
She also noted that Clarke’s tone, while sounding jovial to some, was insistent.
In cross-examination, Clarke’s lawyer suggested that his tone was encouraging and jovial, to which Mila responded that he was masking his persistent direction.
Clarke, 49, is suing GNM over multiple articles alleging misconduct, which he denies, while GNM maintains its reporting is both accurate and in the public interest.
In her statement, Mila mentioned working with Clarke on another project that did not involve explicit scenes.
Subsequently, she received a call from Clarke asking if they were alright after their previous collaboration.
During the call, she expressed her discomfort with their earlier work, prompting Clarke to apologize and reflect on his behavior, citing fatherhood as a catalyst for change.
Clarke denied the allegations made by Mila, stating they were distorted and exaggerated, and maintained that the scene was not intended for personal gratification.
Regarding the phone call, he stated that he reached out to address any discomfort Mila may have felt and assured her that proper protocol was followed on set.
The hearing is set to conclude in April, with a written decision expected at a later date.