Kristen Bell on Shooting Love Scenes: 'It's Part of My Day Job'

The star of LIFEGUARD sits down with CineMovie to discuss her new movie, LIFEGUARD and the awkwardness of shooting a love scene.

In LIFEGUARD, Kristen Bell’s character is having a mid-life crisis at 29 when she returns to her childhood town to relive her high school days. Directed by first-time director Liz Garcia, the low-budget LIFEGUARD was a passion project for the new mommy and her co-star Mamie Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep. For Kristen, working on a smaller film is much more of a creative process than a Hollywood film, which is all about the “big paycheck, according to Bell.”  Gummer describes working in indie film as a “labor of love,” and the “level of commitment inspiring.”

In LIFEGUARD, Bell’s character becomes involved with a much younger man. The scene called for an awkward scene in a “wet bathroom stall” as she describes it. “There’s a whole bunch of variables that made it gross, ” she adds, but the actor made it comfortable.  When it comes to shooting love scenes, she explains it’s a “weird part of this job that you just kind of accept.” She jokes that part of acting is “hooking up with other people,”  but the choreography involved in getting the shots is not so romantic.

Watch what else the LIFEGUARD star and co-star have to say about acting in a independent film.  LIFEGUARD is currently playing in select theaters.