Harry Melling licked a boot in Pillion and became a ‘more curious person’

Pillion star Harry Melling has shared both the surprising and the profound lessons he learnt from filming his racy BDSM movie.

The Harry Potter actor, 36, stars opposite Alexander Skarsgård in the Bafta-nominated movie, in which timid parking attendant Colin (Melling) enters a submissive relationship with enigmatic biker gang leader Ray (Skarsgård) and is introduced to a whole new world of intimacy.

It’s made quite the splash, garnering critical and public acclaim with a near-perfect 99% critics’ Rotten Tomatoes score and, following on its heels, an 89% audience score.

Hailed ‘bold, raunchy and deeply romantic’ and an ‘absolute triumph’, with specific praise for Melling’s ‘vulnerable’ performance, it’s no surprise it’s been an unexpected standout this awards season.

Up for three big awards on Sunday night – best British film, adapted screenplay and debut feature – the 36-year-old lead opened up about what he’d learned from making and promoting the explicit movie.

‘Well, I learned to lick a boot, which is a very useful skill to have in everyday life,’ he quipped to Metro.

Then added: ‘No, but honestly – I think playing a part, there’s always some kind of residue or leftover thing that you take from it.

‘I think, with playing a part like Colin, he was such a courageous, curious creature that maybe some of that transferred to my life. Maybe I was more curious, I asked more questions – and that’s always a good thing.’

Discussing how he learnt more about this sexual subculture, he praised the support of the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club, who both appeared in the movie and helped advise on authentic representation.

‘They introduced me to people in the kink scene who taught me about things like bootlicking. They were a pivotal part of making the film feel authentic,’ he told Variety.

As for Alexandar, whose dad Stellen was also at last night’s ceremony where he was in the running for best supporting actor, last year he opened up about his father’s reaction to the raunchy film (which received an eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes).

‘He really enjoyed it. It meant a lot to me because it’s very dear to me, this film

‘It was a beautiful day to have – I was in the theatre, and to sit next to Dad and watch him watch this thing was special. The fact that he really responded to it meant a lot to me,’ he said at the time.

Then, in theme with the movie, added: ‘No notes from daddy’.

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