The Hardest Job in Hollywood

The Hardest Job in Hollywood

Written by Ella Mordarski

Art by Lucy Latorre

One of my favorite pastimes is reading the parents guide section of IMDb. I love scrolling through the descriptions of sex, drugs, violence, and profanity that parents have diligently written in hopes of protecting innocent children from the real world. In reality, these interpretations read more like stand-up comedy bits quipped by a divorcée mom rather than genuine warnings. While I don’t necessarily condone this soft-core censorship, it does get me thinking about the concept of nudity in film and television.

It’s pretty well documented at this point that Hollywood isn’t exactly paving the way for feminism. Since the beginnings of showbiz, actresses have been exploited in film and television. Seen as nothing more than sex objects, often flashing their breasts and behind for no relevant purpose. While filmmakers somehow always find a way to include female nudity in any project, seeing the penis in high definition has been something long reserved for the likes of pornography.

In recent years, male nudity has become a more common member of the entertainment industry, specifically that of the allusive penis. Shows like Euphoria and The White Lotus are just a few examples where male full-frontal was on detailed display. Viewers often have an overzealous reaction when a male actor drops trou, which makes sense; it’s not a common occurrence. After the initial shock factor, they often run to social media to ask the question on everybody’s mind: Is it real?

I hate to burst everyone’s horny bubble; however, that penis you shamefully paused the screen to get a better look at ... is most likely a prosthetic. The fake appendage is often used in film and television as a replacement for the real fleshy thing. These prosthetic penises aren’t just any common dildo you pick up from Adam & Eve or the back of Spencer’s at your hometown mall. Every vein, curve, pubic hair, and head is carefully constructed by special effect artists to resemble the real package. The goal? Viewers shouldn’t be able to tell whether what they see on screen is the actor’s actual manhood or just a well crafted stand-in.

While expert makeup artists are the ones applying the prosthetic on set, the sausage gets made off the backlot. There are a few specialists in town with a reputation for their world-renowned penis skills. This includes Autonomous F/X, owned by Jason Collins, who is responsible for the meat sticks in Euphoria, Minx, and even the talking penis in Pam & Tommy. In an interview with Allure, Collins remarked on his recent penis-based business boom: “We started getting calls from people [after] we did Euphoria,” he says. “[Productions] know that I can do that, and I know the methodology to get it done.” Besides penises, these artists are responsible for all types of prosthetics. From otherworldly horned aliends and bloody stab wounds to hyper-realistic baby bumps for Sydney Sweeney—they can truly make anything a director desires.

A prosthetic penis first begins to take shape as a simple mold.According to Collins, there are “approximately 12 different penis molds” to choose from in his shop. While some molds are custom-made to fulfill a specific vision, others are reused for multiple different productions. The molds are filled with a silicone-based formula that can be made denser or thinner depending on the intended, well ... hardness. After it has fully set, an artist can start adding detail to the phallic piece of silicone, including the ... eh-em ... balls—for lack of a better term. Back on set, when the penis is ready for its close-up, the prosthetic can be worn either as a belt or glued directly onto the performer, depending on the amount of skin they are displaying in the scene. On-set makeup artists are responsible for covering up any imperfections, that might suggest the package isn’t the actor’s own. This is when an intimacy coordinator joins the chat, acting as a liaison between the actor and production team, ensuring everyone feels safe during filming while not impeding on the artist’s integrity. They say size doesn’t matter, but it’s truly a team effort to fabricate the perfect fake penis.

Now, I know what everyone is thinking: Why use a faux schlong? Well, actors are good, but there are some things that even the best in the business can’t replicate. From specific size dimensions to erections and releases, a prosthetic penis provides production versatility. Like it or not, sometimes the penis is a poignant part of the plot or necessary for character development. Producers have the ability to make detailed requests to artists, improving the overall “realness” of the scene, and—let’s be honest—keep the audience engaged. One of the most famous examples of a blockbuster penis is spotted in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. Porn star Dirk Diggler, played by Mark Wahlberg, is blessed in the film with an exaggerated dong, one of the reasons for his adult film success. So when it came time to show the theater, a prosthetic was the best way to express the overstated size, which Wahlberg has apparently kept all these years later—that’s definitely a unique family heirloom.

On a more serious note, a prosthetic penis adds comfortability to an otherwise uncomfortable situation. While there are plenty of examples of male actors going truly all in, it’s understandable to want to keep that thing locked away. No matter how you identify, everyone struggles with body image at some point in their lives. It can be anything: a weird shaped birthmark on your ass, how your boobs hang, or of course, the size of your penis. Having those “flaws” filmed and dissected truly sounds like my personal hell. In the internet age, anyone can simply look up nude clips, and replay them for enjoyment. Websites like AZnude even lets you filter specific actors and shows for male or female actors. You can literally have an Oscar, and people will still be more impressed by that sex scene you did 16 years ago.

For decades, filmmakers deliberately decided to conceal the special guest due to restrictions it would place on a film’s rating. Many, including the Motion Picture Association (MPA), believed the penis was simply the crudist thing one could possibly show. However, with the evolution of culture also came an evolution within the MPA. Regulations began changing and filmmakers started getting a tad more loosey-goosey with male full-frontals. Most importantly, the #MeToo movement happened, and people truly began to understand the systemic depths of sexism within the entertainment industry. For so long, women had been pushed into baring it all, and now it was the men’s turn. “It was always a lopsided thing: You can see a woman fully naked, but heaven forbid we see a man’s penis ... whether it’s TV or cinema, it’s the last frontier,” observed Collins.