Actor Ryan Gosling explains Initial NC-17 Rating for ‘Blue Valentine’

The World

A soon-to-be-released film about marital drama just won a rare victory. ?Blue Valentine,? starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, was initially given an NC-17 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America. The stated reason? Because the film contains ?a scene of explicit sexual content.? Many people familiar with the scene described it as a fairly tame sex scene in which William’s character receives oral sex. The studio and film’s cast and crew appealed the rating, which was changed yesterday by the MPAA. The film is now rated R.

We talk with Ryan Gosling, star of “Blue Valentine,” about the initial NC-17 rating. And Takeaway movie contributor Rafer Guzman explains the history of movie ratings and the MPAA.

Are you with The World?

The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.