Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Kayleigh Donaldson | Celebrity | November 29, 2025
Pillion stars Harry Melling as a meek and sheltered man who falls head-first into a sub-dom relationship with an impossibly handsome biker. Said man is played by Alexander Skarsgård. What typecasting. The film, the directorial debut of Harry Lighton, has earned rave reviews, including from our own Jason. Alas, you Americans will have to wait a bit longer to see it since us Brits are getting it first. Delayed gratification is good for you. This is a kinky movie that does not skimp on the butt-less wrestling outfits and Prince Alberts. For Melling, the whole experience was very fun.
Melling, who you might recognize from those movies about the wizard kid written by the TERF, has reinvented himself as one of Britain’s most interesting character actors. You’ve probably seen him as the limbless orator in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs or playing chess against Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen’s Gambit. Pillion isn’t even the only movie where he’s played a timid beta male type who finds himself through a hot leather daddy (hello, Please Baby Please.)
When asked about the experience of shooting those much-discussed sex scenes with Stellan’s oldest kid, Melling told Pink News he felt at ease:
‘What was so good about the sex scenes I felt, and why maybe I felt quite comfortable, very comfortable doing them, was it always felt like it was really propelling the relationship forward - the story between Colin, who I play, and Ray, who Alex plays. I remember speaking to friends of mine about this story, about what was involved in it, and they were like, ‘Oh wow. Harry. Wow.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s great!’ But they were brilliant to do and from an acting perspective, wonderful. Really wonderful.’
I too would feel comfortable being on my knees for Alexander Skarsgård, Harry. You’re not special. See, that’s a level of job satisfaction we should all hope to achieve.
Melling also talked about the research he did for the role, which included hanging out at Cambridge Pride with the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club. They were the ones who taught him how to do bootlicking properly. Respect. As he told GQ, ‘I came away from the initial two days with those guys just feeling what a responsibility it was to tell this story correctly.’
ASkars, meanwhile, is continuing his on-theme styling for the press tour. Tonight, he’ll make his debut on The Graham Norton Show and he has dressed appropriately for the occasion.
Sir!
— Kayleigh Donaldson (@ceilidhann.bsky.social) November 28, 2025 at 3:28 PM
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