Alexandra Daddario is a very accomplished actress. Her performance amongst the cast of The White Lotus earned her an Emmy nomination, and her leading role in Mayfair Witches truly showcases her talent and versatility. And, of course, she has quite a foot in the film industry as well. As skilled as she is, though, even she's had awkward moments while preparing for roles. On that note, Daddario recently spoke about the time she tried to rehearse a sexual scene with her mom and, as you can imagine, the results weren't what she expected.
While doing a Hero Magazine interview with her I Wish You All the Best co-star, Cory Fogelmanis, the Percy Jackson actress got real about how much easier auditioning is when they can be done through tapes or Zoom calls. In terms of Daddario’s approach to an effective audition tape, she explained what that process entailed and her awkwardness about having to rehearse a sexual scene with her mother:
I really need the right person to read with. I was doing a tape the other day where the scenes were a little bit sexual, and the only person available at that time was my mom. [laughs] So I started doing the scene with her, and my mom reads scenes with me and she’s wonderful at it, but I was like, ‘You know what, I’m just going to have to ask for an extra day to do this. I’m going to have to book someone to do this with.’
That’s just a tad uncomfortable, isn’t it? While it seemed like Daddario's mom was a good sport in reading the scenes with her, it would probably be easier to read sensual scenes with a fellow actor or a friend.
Alexandra Daddario is definitely not a stranger to R-rated scenes. When she did her infamous True Detective nude scene, the she got candid about all of the attention she received and how it made her realize her own sex appeal. She also engaged in some steamy scenes while she was on The White Lotus with her on-screen partner, Jake Lacy.
With Hollywood sets are being laid out to make their stars comfortable, Daddario has discussed feeling safe with intimacy coordinators and the invaluable nature of having female directors on set. Ultimately, it appears that an actor's environment can make all of the difference in being relaxed on set.
Despite being a Hollywood It Girl, Daddario also previously spoke about how hard it can be to land gigs. So, this is all the more reason why the talented star continued to tell Fogelmanis why the right scene partner can make a great impact for a successful audition tape:
It has to be with the right person so that you can really perform, get out of your head, and do the best job possible. It’s the same as going in-person as far as preparation. You used to just prepare everything over and over and over with someone, and then hopefully nail it when you went in. Now that process is on tape.
Considering an actress shows vulnerability when doing a sexual scene, it makes a lot of sense why it would be important to find that special chemistry with your partner instead of reading with one's mother. While I’m sure the Baywatch actress’ mom tried her best, someone who's a novice to acting likely just couldn't service Daddario for the purposes of the reading.
Alexandra Daddario's story may be cringey now, but it could indeed serve as a wise piece of advice for any actors looking to find the best way to prepare for a role. Despite that, though, kudos to Daddario's mom for still being willing to help her daughter read through that steamy scene.
You can see Daddario’s work in The White Lotus and True Detective by streaming them with an HBO Max subscription. Also, see her play the co-founder of The Hershey Company in the 2026 movie release Hershey, which opens in theaters on November 25th.
