On screen it looks so perfect, but when it comes to movie sex even Hollywood stars need a trick or two up their sleeves or down their shorts.
Most celebs will tell you that love scenes are awkward, boring and about as sexy as damp longjohns. No wonder today's top stars have developed their own special tricks and techniques to spice up their on-screen sex and get them through those bare naked nightmares.
Georgina Bearns throws back the covers on the world of the sex scene, its juicy secrets and the stars' tricks of the trade.
Kate Winslet
It seems Brit beauty Kate has never got over her Titanic tussle with Leonardo DiCaprio, and why should she when the memory of that steamy moment is so handy for her other love scenes. Kate began pining for Leo when she needed a hunky guy for a love scene in Iris, and couldn't find anyone she liked as much as him. She finally found a man willing to help her out in her topless love scene, shut her eyes and thought of her time on Titanic. 'You couldn't see his face so it didn't really matter what he looked like,' says Winslet. 'So I just made out that it was me and Leo all over again. It really helps get through those scenes.'
Angelina Jolie
Tomb Raider star Angelina has as much movie sex as she has real sex - well, almost. Not surprisingly she has few qualms about baring all for film but she finds the best results are achieved among friends. Her favourite pretend romp is the one she shared with old pal Ethan Hawke in Taking Lives. 'It was funny doing it with him because we're such good friends,' says Angelina. 'The first few times he backed me against the wall we just burst out laughing. When it's a friend it makes it more comfortable.'
Charlize Theron
Charlize got through her romantic scenes with Christina Ricci in Monster by laughing all the way to the Oscars. 'I'd love to see out-takes from it because Christina and I laughed way too much,' says the South African stunner. 'We drove the sound guy bananas by giggling into his mike. It was the first time that I had ever kissed a woman in a film, and it was OK kissing Christina except for the dental implants I had to wear and which sometimes came loose. But the laughing got us through it.'
Naomi Watts
Aussie beauty Naomi has found the perfect way to break the ice, as well as wind, during her on screen romps. The 25-year-old actress has never been shy of doing the deed on film and even starred in a girl-on-girl scene in Mulholland Drive. It was her latest romp with Hollywood hunk Mark Ruffalo against a tree in We Don't Live Here Anymore that revealed her windy secret. 'We were up against the tree, completely naked, trying to act this scene in front of all the crew and cameras,' recalls Ruffalo. 'And then Naomi, to ease the tension, had a fart machine going. You're about to do a scene, and all of a sudden it's like, 'Prrpt, prrt-prrrpt, prrt-prrrpt'. Instant defuse.'
Halle Berry
Halle's steamy clinch in Monster's Ball, the film for which she won an Oscar, is said to be one of the sexiest in movie history - it even turns on the star herself. Halle's trick is to look at her more intimate scenes as if she has nothing to do with them, that way she gets to enjoy them with the rest of us. 'When I first watched the scene I thought, 'Wow, look at her',' says the Catwoman beauty. 'I never really connect with myself in those scenes, and I think that's how I am able to look at them.'
Salma Hayek
Salma found her first movie love scenes in Desperado almost impossible to get through because she kept thinking about her family seeing her nude. Salma remembers, 'I nearly got fired. I cried throughout the love scene. That's why you never see long pieces. It's little pieces cut together. I didn't want to be naked in front of a camera. The whole time, I'm thinking of my father and my brother.'
Madonna
The queen of pop has shocked more than a few times on the big screen over the years but even she has a trick up her sleeve to get through those difficult intimate scenes. 'Those scenes are always very awkward and not any fun,' says Madge. 'It's strange to suddenly find yourself in intimate situations with someone you don't know. You just have to treat those scenes like any other and just concentrate on the acting - nothing else.'
Patricia Arquette
When Patricia was called upon to romp naked for the film Human Nature she just couldn't find the courage to show the world her most intimate parts. 'That's when I came up with the idea for this pubic rug or hair piece, which was stitched on to my panties,' she proudly states. 'I think you can safely say it was just the job although it did cause me some problems, especially when I was posing for publicity photos. The guys couldn't take their eyes off it!'
Jennifer Aniston
Jen just wants it over - fast. 'It can be nerve-wracking,' says Jen, whose last bedroom scene was with Ben Stiller in Along Came Polly. 'There is just no way around it. You know, if it is awkward, there is nothing sexy. But you just have to make it fun.'
Ewan McGregor
When it comes to getting your kit off on-screen, Ewan is head and shoulders above the rest. From his explicit sex scenes with Kelly MacDonald in Trainspotting, to his full frontal in Velvet Goldmine and oral sex scene in Boy's Don't Cry, Ewan is happy to bare all. And the Scottish star explains he doesn't care who's watching. 'I'm never aware of the crew - you shouldn't be. I could have a soundman lying under the bed and I wouldn't notice him. There have been moments where, ahem, things have happened down there but I just take a few moments. You know, the director says, 'Let's try that again', and I say, 'No, give me ten seconds'.'
Johnny Depp
Johnny is well known for his bizarre on-set quirks, including having music played to him to suit his character and situation. And it seems he doesn't even turn it off when he hops in the sack for those more intimate scenes. 'I spent about three hours in bed with him, and we'd only just met,' recalls Johnny's From Hell co-star Sophia Myles. 'He was sensitive, compassionate and charming but he always had his music on. He has a guy who does nothing but play specific tracks for him.'
Hugh Grant
Hugh has been lucky enough to enjoy love scenes with some of Tinseltown's most beautiful actresses, including Renee Zellweger, Sandra Bullock and Julia Roberts. With his typically direct style, bachelor-boy Hugh candidly admits that he loves sex scenes - and even gets physically aroused by them! 'I've always enjoyed sex scenes, though you're not really supposed to,' says the Bridget Jones star. 'The classic answer is, 'Oh, it's not sexy at all because there are so many technicians standing around'. But I've always found them extremely arousing.'
Josh Hartnett
Hollywood Homicide hunk Josh has never had a problem with sex scenes because he's always had partners who don't care if he shows a little too much - if you know what he means. 'Those scenes are always embarrassing for both sides,' he says. 'The biggest problem is if you don't get aroused then the woman is mad at you, and if you do get aroused the woman is mad at you! But I've been lucky to work with cool girls who didn't really care.'
Will Smith
Will was obviously too modest to reveal this little trick himself but crew on his recent movie hit I,Robot were more than happy to reveal all. 'Will is a big guy - and I mean big,' says one crew member. 'When he did his nude shower scene in the beginning of the movie he had no choice but to get some tape and hide it away otherwise we would have been straight-to-video and adults-only stores!'
Jason Biggs
As Hollywood becomes more accepting of depicting gay relationships in the movies, increasing numbers of actors are also having to prepare themselves for same-sex love scenes. Jason certainly didn't enjoy his screen snog with Seann William Scott in gross-out comedy American Pie: The Wedding. 'It was definitely different from kissing a girl,' he says. 'He had a bunch of stray hairs on his lip. The worst part was that we had to do 30 takes. In future I'm gonna make sure they shave before I kiss them!'