Ryan Murphy Discusses His Decision to Remove Graphic Sex Scenes from The Shards

Ryan Murphy suggested that his upcoming shows will feature fewer “graphic” sexual scenes, beginning with The Shards.

“I’ve worked on several shows with high school characters, and I truly enjoy them. I find that setting quite intriguing,” Murphy, 60, mentioned in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, August 6. “It’s a realm of first experiences: First kiss. First makeout. First sexual encounter. First breakup.”

The premise of his new show prompted Murphy to rethink the sexual themes present in author Bret Easton Ellis’s 2023 novel of the same name, which serves as the inspiration for The Shards.

“I always perceived it as a narrative of longing and romance more than one focused on sexuality. Additionally, I’m a parent with three young boys,” Murphy, who shares his children with David Miller, explained. “I’ve created erotic, sexual shows, but I wanted this to be tasteful and appropriate.”

He further expressed, “What’s fascinating about The Shards is that it’s intended for everyone. Particularly, it resonates with those who grew up in the ‘80s and with young people at that age. I always considered the idea that being overly graphic and sensational isn’t the right approach.”

Murphy hinted at “longing and eroticism” in the FX series, which was approached “very thoughtfully” with the help of intimacy coordinators.

“But I would say the older I get, the more I feel like an old Victorian prude,” he admitted. “Perhaps because I’m a father, I think, ‘We don’t need to showcase that.’”

While promoting the series, Murphy described the sexual scenes as “tasteful,” adding, “It will certainly spark conversations. We were all mindful of that.”

He concluded, “Many in this cast are newcomers, and I didn’t want to put anyone in uncomfortable situations within any of the scenes. My guiding principle with actors is always, ‘What are you comfortable with?’ I prioritize empowering actors in these scenarios.”

Based on Ellis’ novel, The Shards takes place in Los Angeles in 1981 and follows a 17-year-old version of the author during his final year at the prestigious Buckley prep school. His world is disrupted by the introduction of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose “uncanny presence coincides with the actions of a serial killer known as The Trawler,” according to the synopsis.

The Shards is the only Elllis novel to feature himself as a character; however, he has previously clarified that all characters in The Shards are fictional—except for himself.

Igby Rigney, cast as Ellis, shared his experience tackling this challenge with Us.

“Ryan had a really creative directing style where he would have us perform multiple takes in different ways. We were always left guessing which take he would choose,” he recalled last month. “I’m sure some of those takes were combined, adding to the complexity.”

Rigney added, “Experiencing the narration was sometimes challenging on set because everyone around me was having fun, while I was staring intently into the distance, contemplating a lengthy paragraph that I wasn’t saying aloud.”

The Shards airs Wednesdays on FX.