Asa Butterfield related to ‘Sex Education’ because his own mother is a psychologist who wanted to "talk" about sex.
The 21-year-old actor plays Otis in the new Netflix comedy opposite Gillian Anderson as his sex therapist mother Jean Milburn, and the star found the series’ plot all too familiar because he was frequently subjected to graphic chats with his own parents.
And though Asa was initially embarrassed by the frank discussions, he grew to realise that they were both helpful and "healthy".
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph newspaper, Asa said: "At times I was like, ‘Oh, why do you want to talk about that sort of thing?’ [There were] questions that you probably don’t think about when you’re 12 or 13. But as I got older, I realised it’s always healthy to talk about that stuff, especially with your parents. They’re always going to be there for you.
"I could hear by the tone of her voice what the conversation was going to be about, and I was like, ‘Mum, I’m not having this, I’m sorry but I’m not’, and I walked out. It’s hard for teenagers to have those conversations with their parents, but I think it’s just as hard for the parent to broach a topic with their child. You’d almost rather have that talk with anyone else, even a complete stranger, than your own parents."
Asa played the titular role in the 2011 Martin Scorsese movie ‘Hugo’, and the star confessed that his childhood was incredibly "normal" – apart from when he would take a break to meet with the legendary filmmaker.
He added: "I think one of the reasons I was quite mature growing up is because I had to be. I was going to school, then I’d be having dinner with Martin Scorsese."
Asa Butterfield says Sex Education plot was relatable
