Gillian Anderson had admitted that sex scenes are "never a joy".

The 56-year-old actress shares an intimate scene in a tent with co-star Jason Isaacs in her new movie 'The Salt Path' - based on the true story of couple Raynor and Moth Winn who embark on an epic walk in the UK after a bad health diagnosis and homelessness - and says such things are part and parcel of acting.

Gillian told The Sun: "That is something you just expect as an actor.

"That's part of what one does. I had an experience for many, many years working with the same actor every day.

"I've also done sex scenes on the very first day of working, which is never a joy at any time during filming.

"So you're thrown stuff all the time and just show whatever you're given."

'The X-Files' star added that it was straightforward to film the raunchy scenes with her "amenable" co-star Isaacs.

She said: "Jason makes it very easy. He's very amenable, he's very likeable.

"And certainly physically, we feel like we're the same language - certainly by the end.

"We feel like our journey is baked into us, and we feel like we're part of the same conversation."

Gillian explained that she became desperate to play Raynor after reading her book of the same name and being "profoundly affected" by the story.

She recalled: "I read the book and I couldn't speak for days. I was really profoundly affected by it. I think I might have threatened them with an inch of their lives to hire me!"

Gillian explained that starring in the movie has changed her thoughts on homelessness.

The 'Sex Education' actress told the i paper: "It haunted me in a way that I think was good.

"In America, you would stop at a light, and two or three people might surround the car and wash your windscreen and then ask for money, which I'd never seen happen here (in the UK) before. Post Covid, suddenly that was happening.

"It was an opportunity to change how I thought about it, period. And to have more compassion and understanding. It's fascinating to observe in oneself the different emotions that come up as a result of being face-to-face with it."