Tom Ellis’s Sex Scene in ‘Players’ Is a Valentine’s Treat for ‘Lucifer’ Fans

Players on Netflix—a new romantic comedy that began streaming on Valentine’s Day—is a fun watch for many reasons. There’s the playful chemistry between Gina Rodriguez and Damon Wayans Jr., who play old college buds that have perfected the art of picking up one night stands in bars. There’s the fun reveal that one of the eponymous players—Brannagan (played by Augustus Prew), another old college bud—is, in fact, a bi guy who just as frequently hits on men as he does women. But for Lucifer fans, there’s one reason to watch this movie that trumps all others: Tom Ellis has a steamy sex scene in Players.

It’s been three years since Ellis hung up his devil horns as the title character on the DC show Lucifer, which gained popularity after it was canceled by Fox and picked up by Netflix for the final three seasons. So it’s no surprise that the streamer would want to tap back into the Lucifer fanbase by casting Ellis in its new rom-com to play the handsome, mature, and smoldering older man who sweeps Gina Rodriguez off her feet.

His character, Nick, is a Pulitzer-prize winning (OK, fine, Pulitzer-prize finalist-ing) author who stops by the newspaper where Rodriguez’s character, Mack, works as a sports writer. When the team goes out to drinks and Nick tags along, Mack and her friends run a “play” on Nick. In other words, Mack picks him up. Nick is more than happy to play along. He takes Mack back to his fancy, grown-up apartment with Syrian artifacts and Egyptian silk sheets. The fun begins.

Nick and Mack don’t waste any time. They make out so enthusiastically, in fact, that Mack breaks one of Nick’s ceramic vases from Syria. Nick doesn’t mind, but he does suggest that they maybe move things to the bedroom. It should be noted that throughout this entire scene, Ellis is holding Rodriguez up. Like, the strength of this man! He’s putting those bulging biceps to good use.

From there, Ellis tosses (tosses!) Rodriguez onto the bed. Immediately, he kisses down her body, pulls down her pants, and gets to work. We knew Ellis would be a giver. This movie is rated PG-13, so you don’t actually see anything, beyond the face of appreciation made by Rodriguez. (She looks like a happy customer!) But, thankfully, director Trish Sie doesn’t skimp on the eye candy. The next morning, while Mack explores the apartment, Nick rolls out of bed, looking sleepy and rumpled and, most importantly, shirtless.

There’s so much to appreciate about this sight. Ellis has got arms and pecs for days, but he doesn’t look like a scary gym rat who shoots up steroids. That little hint of belly tells me he’s not a stick-in-the-mud who never orders dessert. It’s as close to perfect as it gets.

After watching this scene, no one can blame Mack for deciding to pursue a real relationship with Nick after their passionate one-night stand. In the end, it’s not quite the fairytale romance she envisioned. But at least she—and more importantly, we the audience—got a little taste of that Lucifer loving.