Domino Kirke Defends Penn Badgley's Decision to Forego Intimate Scenes
Kirke addresses fan speculation, emphasizing that her husband's choice was for his own well-being and career boundaries.
Domino Kirke, wife of actor Penn Badgley, has spoken out to dispel rumors that she influenced her husband's decision to stop filming intimate scenes. The couple has faced public speculation regarding Badgley's on-screen choices, particularly in his role as Joe Goldberg in the Netflix series "You."
In a recent Instagram video, Kirke addressed direct messages she has received about the matter, stating, "Meaning, he didn’t want to have sex. He didn’t want to kiss. He didn’t want to do any of that, which was really major in his industry because that’s the thing they want you to do the most.” She noted that due to Badgley's past roles, fans have come to anticipate such scenes.
Kirke urged those still discussing the issue to move past it, saying, "I want to say, to those of you who still DM me about my husband deciding to do this for himself and his mental health, get over it.”
She described Badgley's decision as an act of "relational hygiene," a concept that has inspired her to set similar boundaries in her own career as a doula. Kirke emphasized her independent professional identity, stating, "I’m not just Penn Badgley’s wife. I also do things like support people in making these kinds of decisions for themselves and their careers."
Badgley first publicly discussed his stance on intimate scenes in February 2023, explaining on "Andy Cohen Live" that it was not his desire to engage in such acts with other actors while being in a committed relationship. He also commented on the objectification involved in filming sex scenes.
However, Badgley did participate in several intimate scenes during the fifth and final season of "You," which premiered in April 2025. In an interview with People, he explained that while his preference was to minimize such scenes, he was willing to film them if essential to the narrative, stating, "let’s make sure it’s vital, let’s make sure it’s important, it’s deliberate. And we did.”
Penn Badgley and Domino Kirke began dating in 2014 and married in February 2017. They have three children together, welcomed in August 2020 and September 2025, with their names kept private.