Penn Badgley opens up about fighting to make Joe Goldberg naked in You¡¯s final scene
Penn Badgley revealed he fought to have Joe Goldberg naked in You¡¯s final scene to expose the character¡¯s dark nature. He explained the decision was a way to confront the audience with Joe¡¯s true identity, emphasizing the importance of making the character¡¯s predatory tendencies undeniable in the finale.
If you thought Joe Goldberg¡¯s final scenes in You season five were uncomfortably raw, you¡¯re not alone ¡ª and Penn Badgley made sure of it. The actor recently revealed he fought to show a side of Joe we hadn¡¯t seen so starkly before. And trust us, it was all very deliberate.
Penn Badgley says Joe Goldberg 'needed to be seen for who he was'
Netflix¡¯s You wrapped up in a way no one quite expected. With Joe finally facing consequences (hello, prison walls) and his son¡¯s voice haunting the background, viewers were gripped till the very end. But it was Joe¡¯s new love interest, Bronte ¡ª played by Madeline Brewer ¡ª and the intense dynamic between them that raised eyebrows.
Still, it was the final scene that really got people talking. Standing in just his boxers, Joe was stripped down in more ways than one. Speaking to PEOPLE, Penn Badgley explained, ¡®I actually fought to be as naked as possible in that last sequence because he needed to be dangerously close to being witnessed finally as a sexual predator that he was.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t just about shock value. Badgley wanted to confront viewers directly, to force a reckoning with the character many had sympathised with for far too long.
Standing in just his boxers, Joe was stripped down in more ways than one. (Credit: X)
Badgley says the show held back until the last episode
Badgley made it clear ¡ª this was about forcing the audience to really see Joe. No charm. No excuses. Just the ugly truth
¡®Joe needed to be seen in that way to be kind of saying to everybody, is this what you needed to see in order to realise who he is?¡¯ he explained. It¡¯s a jab at viewers too ¡ª all of us who spent seasons half-rooting for a literal killer because he was charming in the right lighting.
Badgley admitted the show had shied away from pushing this boundary earlier. ¡®I think it¡¯s a really juicy kind of engagement and question with the viewer that we're all a part of,¡¯ he added.
Badgley says the show held back until the last episode (Credit: X)
Joe¡¯s gone but he¡¯s not leaving Badgley
During this conversation, Badgley admitted he¡¯s not walking away from Joe completely ¡ª at least, not clean.
After nearly a decade playing one of TV¡¯s most charming monsters, Joe¡¯s shadow isn¡¯t something you just shrug off. Badgley stepped into his skin at 30; now, pushing 39, he¡¯s carrying every twisted thought, every broken moment Joe lived through.
Joe¡¯s story might be done. But for Badgley? Some roles don't just end when the credits roll ¡ª they stick to your bones
Kriti Shukla is a lifestyle journalist with over two years of experience, writing about celebrity fashion, beauty, and culture. She covers trends both on and off the red carpet, with a sharp editorial eye and a knack for spotting what¡¯s current. Based in Delhi, Kriti blends her love for glamour and culture with a deep understanding of the zeitgeist.
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