Decider After Dark

That’s a Wrap: 13 Hot Sex Scenes That Include a Condom

By Anna Menta

Published June 7, 2019, 9:00 p.m. ET

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photo collage of Steve Carell playing with condoms — Protection is sexy!Photos: Universal Pictures ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

steve carell holding a condom — *The 40-Year-Old Virgin* (2005)
Say what you will about Judd Apatow, but he always remembers to acknowledge contraceptives when it comes to the sex scenes in his romantic comedies. Perhaps most notably, there's an entire scene in *The 40-Year-Old Virgin* where Steve Carell's character, being a virgin, is completely befuddled by the condoms that Catherine Keener has in her bedside table.
[Stream The 40-Year-Old Virgin on Netflix]Photo: Universal Pictures

superbad sex scene — *Superbad* (2007)
In an effort to demonstrate to you just how serious Judd Apatow is about condom-awareness, I've put *The 40-Year-Old Virgin* and *Superbad* back to back. When Fogell, AKA McLovin, has sex with a girl at a party, she firsts asks him: "Do you have a condom?" You know, like any responsible sex-having person would. *Superbad* also gets points for introducing me to the term "spermicidal lube" at the tender age of 15, thanks to that scene where Michael Cera packs one condom and one little bottle of spermicidal lube.
[Where to stream The 40 Year Old Virgin] Photo: Columbia Pictures

trainspotting sex scene — *Trainspotting* (1996)
Though it is a comedy,*Trainspotting* is one of the few on this list not to include condoms as a joke, but merely just a normal part of having sex. There are several very explicit sex scenes featuring a very naked Ewan McGregor in this film, but director Danny Boyle takes care to let us know McGregor was using a condom by including a shot of his character snapping off his condom when he's done.
[Where to stream Trainspotting]Photo: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

american pie sex scene — *American Pie* (1999)
Considering the sheer number of sex scenes in *American Pie*, thank god the film mentions condoms. You've got the scene where Jim buys a ton of condoms, and is caught examining them by his dad, as well as the sex scene between Kevin and Vicky where Kevin pulls out protection.
[Where to stream American Pie]Photo: Everett Collection

Friends condom scene — *Friends,* Season 2, Episode 18: "The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies"
Who could forget the classic episode of *Friends* where Monica and Rachel, who were both getting it on with Richard and Ross respectively, fought over the last condom in the apartment? While I don't really understand why the girls would keep a mutual apartment supply of condoms in the bathroom rather than separate stocks in their bedroom, I still give this episode credit for addressing the issue--and for not just having Monica and Richard do it anyway, when Rachel wins the condom in a game of rock-paper-scissors. (Richard takes the news well enough: "In the future, if I could see the schedule in advance?")
[Watch Friends on Netflix]Photo: NBC

seinfeld condom scene — *Seinfeld,* Season 7, Episode 9: "The Sponge"
Another NBC sitcom to find the humor in contraceptives was *Seinfeld*, which dedicated an entire episode to various methods of birth control. The condom gets a shout-out from George, who always struggles to get the wrapper open before he loses his erection. In a frankly brilliant directing decision, we don't see anything but George and his fianceé Susan's hands, as they fumble in bed with the condom.
[Watch Seinfeld on Hulu]Photo: NBC

the spectacular now sex scene — *The Spectacular Now* (2013)
If you're going to make a movie aimed at teens about teens having sex, as happens in the coming-of-age romantic comedy, you really have to mention some form of birth control, unless you want an angry letter from me. Thankfully *The Spectacular Now* stepped up to the plate: Before Shailene Woodley lets Miles Teller have sex with her, she hands him a condom and says, "Good to be safe." Yes, Shailene, it is.
[Watch The Spectacular Now on Netflix] Photo: A24

don jon sex scene — *Don Jon* (2013)
A lot of people who didn't see *Don Jon* assume it was just a movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a sex-up player, but that couldn't be further from the truth--it's a heartfelt examination of the way pornography has created a warped percpetion of sex in so many men. Gordon-Levitt (who also directed the film) has his character's eyes opened to what sex can be when he spends a tender, intimate night with Julianne Moore. Bless JGL for including a moment where Moore reaches for a condom in that sex scene and no, it doesn't ruin the mood.
[Where to stream Don Jon ]Photo: Relativity Media

Jennifers Body sex scene — *Jennifer's Body* (2009)
Ah, *Jennifer's Body*, the most tragically misunderstood film of the 21st century. In case you didn't know, this horror comedy written by *Juno*'s Diablo Cody is actually a bundle of quippy, feminist delight. There are not, contrary to popular belief, that many sex scenes, but in the one sex scene there is--between Amanda Seyfried's character and her boyfriend played by Johnny Simmons--you better believe said boyfriend pulls out a neon orange condom.
[Where to stream Jennifer's Body]Photo: 20th Century Fox

no strings attached sex scene — *No Strings Attached* (2011)
While the Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis version of this story, *Friends With Benefits*, is arguably the better film, *No Strings Attached*, starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, gets brownie points for having Portman mention a condom before they do it, while Kunis and Timberlake seemingly ignored contraceptives all together.
[Where to stream No Strings Attached] Photo: Paramount Pictures

50 shades of grey sex scene — *Fifty Shades of Grey* (2015)
Loathe as I am to give this franchise any sort of kudos for its depiction of safe and responsible sex habits, I will begrudgingly acknowledge that Jamie Dornan does appear to bite into a condom in that first sex scene. That said, it's not exactly explicit--we never see the condom, but we do hear the crinkle of a foil wrapper, so I'll assume they were using protection.
[Where to stream Fifty Shades of Grey]Photo: Universal Pictures

fight club sex scene — *Fight Club* (1999)
You know that movie that every guy you've ever met is obsessed with? Turns out it's also a shining example of safer sex practices! OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but David Fincher did include one particularly gross shot of used condoms in a dirty toilet (which I'll spare you from), as well as Marla Singer's line about the condom, which she calls "the glass slipper of our generation."
[Where to stream Fight Club]Photo: 20th Century Fox

naked gun condom scene — *The Naked Gun* (1988)
I wasn't sure if I should include the full-body condom joke from *The Naked Gun* on the list, since it's essentially mocking the practice of safe sex. It also, I have it on good authority (read: A Reddit comment), confused a lot of people who watched this film as a child as to what sex actually is. But honestly, I didn't have many other options to choose from. Not a lot of sex scenes include condoms!
[Where to stream The Naked Gun]Photo: Paramount Pictures

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Dear Hollywood, I have a bone to pick with you: condoms. (And yes, that pun was intended.) Namely, where are all the condoms in sex scenes in film and TV? How come every time the characters of Girls, Insecure or Sex in the City want to get down and dirty, they never use protection and also never get HIV? It just doesn’t make sense! I have never in my life been involved in a sexual experience in which the topic of birth control didn’t come up, yet that fact of life is rarely portrayed on screen.

Now, I’m not saying I need total verisimilitude when it comes to sex in TV and film. Movies are movies, TV is TV, and neither of those things should ever be as mundane as everyday life. But condoms are not mundane! They’re actually pretty important for people looking to not get pregnant and not get a sexually transmitted disease. And considering the fact that so many young people are introduced to sex via movies and TV—sorry but you know it’s true—filmmakers could do younger generations a solid by just including this simple, latex detail. I promise it won’t make it less sexy.

Of course, some filmmakers have done this, hence this list! Most of the examples I could find of sex scenes that featured an explicit use of condom came—surprise—from comedies. This makes sense: Sex is funny! Condoms are funny! Nothing wrong with finding the humor in it. But to all the dramatic filmmakers out there who are filming steaming scenes and not sparing a second for contraceptives: I challenge you to do better. Click through the slideshow above, and follow the example of these films and TV episodes. (Well—maybe not all of them.)