Emma Stone has defended the sex scenes in her new film Poor Things after producers were forced to re-edit a controversial clip ahead of its UK release.

The actress, 35, plays lead character Bella Baxter, who is resurrected by an eccentric scientist in Victorian London, has hit back at recent criticism of the film.

The comedy, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, has caused a ratings stir within the British Board of Film Classification.

This is due to one controversial sex scene which involves two young boys watching Bella (Emma) work as a prostitute after their father hired her to teach them how to have sex.

Defending Poor Things, Emma told BBC Radio 4: ‘Bella is completely free and without shame about her body.’

Emma Stone, 35, has defended the sex scenes in her new film Poor Things after producers were forced to re-edit a controversial clip ahead of its UK release (pictured this month)

The actress, plays lead character Bella Baxter, who is resurrected by an eccentric scientist in Victorian London, has hit back at recent criticism of the film

She continued: ‘So much of this was about being true to Bella’s experience. It [the sex] is obviously a huge part of her experience and her growth, as it is, I think, for most people in life.

‘But I see it as just one aspect of many – her discovery of food, philosophy, travel and dance. Sex is another aspect.’

Whats more, Emma noted that Bella doesn’t feel any embarrassment about her body.

The actress said: ‘She doesn’t know to be embarrassed by these things or to cover things up or not dive into the full experience when it comes to anything.

‘So for the camera to sort of shy away from that, or to say, “well, we’ll just cut all of this out because our society functions in a particular way,” it felt like a lack of being honest about who Bella is.

‘I’m not a person that just wants to be naked all the time, but I am someone who wants to honour the character as fully as I possibly can. That’s part of her journey.’

The film is currently certified 18 in the UK, however only after the controversial sex scene was modified to meet the criteria.

A statement by the British Board of Film Classification read: ‘We originally saw this film for advice. We informed the distributor we would be likely to classify the film 18 on condition that changes be made to one short sequence depicting sexual activity in the presence of children.’

Defending Poor Things, Emma told BBC Radio 4: ‘Bella is completely free and without shame about her body. So much of this was about being true to Bella’s experience’ (pictured this month)

The film is currently certified 18 in the UK, however only after the controversial sex scene was modified to meet the criteria

They added: ‘This is in accordance with the Protection of Children Act 1978. When the distributor submitted the film for formal classification, the scene had been re-edited, and we were able to classify the film 18.’

The picture contains over a dozen explicit sex scenes and a huge amount of foul language.

An anti-Poor Things whispering campaign started shortly after its emergence on the festival circuit, with some saying that the use of the word ‘retard’ early on in the movie is problematic.

Likewise Stone’s depiction of Bella in the initial period, after her brain has been swapped with that of her unborn baby.

The feature is based on Alasdair Gray’s novel of the same name, which was originally published in 1992.

An official trailer for Poor Things reveals Bella Baxter, was resurrected by her guardian, Dr. Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe, after she died by suicide.

Men in the trailer are perplexed by Bella’s eccentric behavior, with Baxter explaining that ever since he brought her back to life, her head and body haven’t been in sync.

Stone noted in a Bella feature from Searchlight Pictures that, ‘The more autonomous Bella becomes, the more challenged men seem to be by it.’

The feature is based on Alasdair Gray’s novel of the same name, which was originally published in 1992. It was released on January 12

She revealed that she, ‘wanted to play Bella because it felt like acceptance of what it is to be a woman.’

The actress also conveyed her gratitude for Yorgos, saying that he, ‘gave me a gift for making me a producer on [Poor Things.]’

‘I’ve gotten to be privy to the whole process that I wouldn’t have if I was just acting in it,’ she said. ‘It just felt like the perfect combination.’

The movie’s cast is rounded out by performers such as Ramy Youssef and Mark Ruffalo.