Rachel Bilson is opening up about how a casual joke about her sex life ended up costing her work. The former star of “The OC” shared on Nicole Byer’s “Why Won’t You Date Me” podcast that she was stunned when a comment she made two years ago on a friend’s podcast came back to bite her.
“Did I want to fight it? Absolutely,” Bilson said. “Look, I can see both sides. When you take something out of context and you read something as a standalone comment, it can come off a certain way ― sure.”
The 44-year-old actress explained that she was simply “joking around” when the subject of bedroom preferences came up. “I said something like, ‘I like to be manhandled,’” she recalled, noting her co-host used the same word. “But because I used that word in whatever context, they just took that out of the conversation. It didn’t sound great. But I think it was a very conservative company so they weren’t comfortable talking about sex at all, in general.”
Bilson said she was blindsided that such a lighthearted exchange could have professional consequences. She believes the company overreacted, especially since she wasn’t speaking seriously. “It was a joking manner,” she explained. “It’s OK to give control or take control in the bedroom.”
She first spoke publicly about losing the job in 2023, clarifying that she had said, “I wanna get fucking manhandled,” but insisted it was meant to be playful and not inappropriate. “I haven’t said anything inappropriate,” she said. “Maybe I would say it differently. But I still wouldn’t not say it.”
Bilson admitted she understands why the wording may not have landed well when pulled out of its original context. At the same time, she pushed back on the idea that being candid about sex should automatically be a problem. For her, the bigger issue was how quickly the comment was stripped of its meaning and judged in isolation.
Although she didn’t reveal which company dropped her, Bilson said the experience was a reminder of how even harmless banter can be risky in the wrong setting. “It didn’t sound great,” she repeated, “but it was just a joke.”
The actress, who has often been candid in interviews and on podcasts, stood by her approach to honesty. While she admitted she might choose her words more carefully if given another chance, she doesn’t regret being open. “I still wouldn’t not say it,” she reiterated.
Bilson’s comments sparked conversation online, with fans weighing in on how women in Hollywood are often penalized more harshly for talking about sex than men. For Bilson, it seems the incident hasn’t made her shy away from speaking her mind, but it has given her a clearer sense of how easily a joke can spiral out of control once it leaves her mouth.