Megan Lawless Discusses the Risky Scene in ‘Obsession’ That Nearly Earned NC-17 Rating

Megan Lawless recently opened up about a scene in the horror film ‘Obsession’ that almost pushed the movie into NC-17 territory. Her comments came during an interview and behind-the-scenes discussion following the film’s release and festival run.

In ‘Obsession’, Lawless portrays a character named Sarah, and she noted that one of her death scenes stood out significantly for everyone involved. The intensity of the scene in early cuts raised concerns about the film’s rating before adjustments were made for the final version.

She described the filming process as both strange and humorous behind the scenes, despite its dark appearance on screen. Lawless shared how the production team utilized practical effects and meticulous staging to ensure the scene was executed safely.

“That was my favorite day on set. It was just a little ridiculous, if you take a step back and you see everything that’s going on behind the scenes,” she remarked.

Lawless also mentioned her co-star Inde Navarrette, who donned protective gear during filming to safely carry out the action sequence. According to Lawless, the actors had to fully commit to their physical performances, even when the setup felt somewhat unusual.

“She had to commit to running into the glass as fast as she could and charging at me. We had to play out this thing that felt a little silly, but with 100 percent commitment, as actors do,” she explained.

@themeganlawless WARNING MAJOR @Obsession SPOILERS! Before we locked tf in #obsession #bts ♬ original sound – themeganlawless

Lawless explained that the team had limited takes to get everything right, which added pressure to the shoot. Safety protocols meant the actors could not make full contact, so parts of the scene were performed with miming and stunt coordination.

“We had to get it right in two takes. They were like, ‘Don’t actually hold her head hard or push her head in. We can’t do that for safety reasons,’” she noted.

She added that certain elements of the final shot incorporated props, including a dummy version of her character for specific effects. Although the scene appears violent in the film, much of it was carefully constructed in segments.

Lawless revealed that there was an earlier iteration of the sequence that was even more intense, raising concerns about the film’s rating after its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. This version reportedly featured stronger sound design and more graphic elements.

“It’s so funny you asked that, because the reaction was completely unexpected to me,” she said. “I thought people would be crying, maybe. But the whole theater erupted into cheering at that moment.”

She also mentioned that an alternate audio version contained more disturbing sound effects, which were later removed during editing to avoid an NC-17 rating.

“They took that out when they edited it to not be NC-17, but it was brutal,” she remarked.

Lawless also discussed the film’s conclusion, where her character’s body appears in a disturbing scene involving another character attempting to imitate her. She noted that this part was always in the script and was intended to showcase the themes of obsession and identity loss.

Directed by Curry Barker, ‘Obsession’ follows a young man who uses a supernatural object to force love, leading to dark consequences. The film also stars Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, along with a supporting cast.

Released in 2026 by Focus Features after its 2025 festival premiere, ‘Obsession’ has garnered attention for its blend of horror and psychological themes, along with its strong audience reactions and box office success.

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