Lèa Seydoux details 'hardest part' of filming 'graphic lesbian movie' that left her in tears

Lèa Seydoux has recalled the 'psychological harassment' she endured while filming x-rated lesbian scenes for Blue Is the Warmest Colour.

The French actress, also famed for her roles in the James Bond films Spectre and No Time to Die, recently caught up with Brut Officiel, where she reflected on the notoriously steamy LGBTQ+ romantic-drama.

Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche in 2013, the film is adapted from Jul Maroh's graphic novel released three years earlier.

In it, Seydoux played aspiring painter Emma, who enters the life of repressed teenager Adéle (played by Adèle Exarchopoulos), turning it upside down. The two begin an extremely passionate romantic relationship, which is depicted from Adéle's high school years through her job as a teacher.

Though the film bagged the Palme d'Or and FIPRESCI Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in the year of its release, it generated equal controversy at the time.

The film was later deemed controversial (Wild Bunch/Vetigo)

More specifically, members of the crew were accused of over-fetishising the same-sex love scenes for sensationalism's sake.

One scene that lasted six minutes was reportedly shot over 10 full days, for example. The moment was later described by Variety as 'the most explosively graphic lesbian sex scenes in recent memory'.

The pair of lead actresses also came under fire for allegedly abiding by poor working conditions on set.

In the years since the movie's release, Seydoux, now 40, has discussed it in public several times - most famously, during an appearance in Cannes, where she was photographed crying while reflecting on the project in a snap that went viral.

Unearthing the hotly-debated flick again his week, the Parisian actress claimed she's still not been able to move on from much of the trauma it inflicted on her.

Seydoux previously cried while discussing the project (LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

"Sometimes there are looks that make you feel uncomfortable," Seydoux recalled. "That was the hardest part during filming. It was psychological harassment.

"It’s extremely difficult to shoot with directors who are manipulative. And I couldn’t leave the film because I had signed a contract."

She added: "Since that film, I always ask for the right to review all the scenes where I’m going to be naked, so I can decide whether or not I accept my body being shown in that way.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​"

The original book's author, Maroh, also slammed the crew for catering to the male gaze in the years that followed the film's release.

In a blog post shared years later, the French writer described the production as a 'brutal and surgical display, exuberant and cold, of so-called lesbian sex, which turned into porn'.